#under a different predominant world culture

[former-leftist-jew]

I really don't think you should be trusting Hama's history at face value.

a) But I should be trusting Hamas' word about Jews, Israelis, and the current war that they started at face value?

b) Oh, don't worry. I get my history from many different sources, and most of the ones that aren't from pro-Islam propaganda corroborate Hamas and other Islamists' boast that "Islam was spread by the sword."

Historical Analysis shows that the spread of Islam did not equate to the spread of Arabian people.

a) So that makes it better? The Islamic Arabic language, culture, and religion being the dominant ones across the entire Middle East and North Africa following the 150 years of violent colonial conquest of native peoples from medieval Arab caliphs, officers, and nobles...

And it's fine because "most of them aren't ethnic arabs--just the descendants of culturally assimilated native peoples and cultures under the Islamic Arab banner"?

b) You've clearly never heard of the 1400+ year Trans-Sahara or "Arab" Slave Trade, have you?

The 1400+ year racial slave trade that makes the 400-year Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade look tame by comparison predominantly perpetuated by ethnic Arabs and Middle Eastern people against ethnic black Africans in their own home continent and beyond.

You know Islam is the predominant religion in North africa for the same reason Christianity is the predominant religion in South Africa, right? Colonialism.

In fact, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was a brief off-shoot of the Arab Slave Trade. Reason being: European Slavers never went too far far into the African mainland until the 1800's (hence why they didn't colonize African land until the 1800's Imperialsim, when European powers suddenly saw how rich the continent was in raw materials and resources, after the centuries-long slave trade ended), yet European Christian slavers' reach extended well into the African mainland.

Why was that? Partly because traveling caravans of Arab slave traders, who were more-than-happy to add to their already booming industry of kidnapping pagan ethnic blacks, carting them all the way across the continent, and selling them to the highest bidders near the coasts of Africa.

In fact, enslavement and marginalization of ethnic blacks in the Arab world was so ubiquitous that, to this day, Arabic word for black people is also the word for "slave," and the two are often used interchangeably.

In North Sudan, the terms "Abeed" and "Abid" are commonly used to refer to South Sudanese people (mostly Dinka and Nuer), who are considered by many North Sudanese as a "slave tribe" due to their enslavement during the trans-Saharan slave trade. Usage of the terms in North Sudan is considered derogatory in nature and has fallen into relative disuse in recent decades

This is the same Sudan where the Darfur Genocide is happening RIGHT NOW; ethnic black Africans being rounded upo and killed by ethnic Arabs and Middle Easterners.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an independent military force, and its allies, primarily Arab militias, are responsible for a campaign of ethnic cleansing, targeting the Massalit people and other non-Arab communities in West Darfur’s capital, El Geneina. The apparent objective was to permanently remove them from the city.

By the way, the territory of "Palestine" is not immune. The word "Abeed" also makes a grand appearance in t Palestininian territories:

The practice of owning slaves by Arabs in [British] Mandatory Palestine and Jordan was observed at least until the 1930s, many of these slaves were from African descent and as a result many of today's Afro-Palestinians are themselves of African descent. The legacy of this practice is still evident in today's Palestinian territories: The term "Abeed" (slave) is used as a slur against dark-skinned Palestinians. Moreover, Afro-Palestinian also face several aspects of de facto segregation: They are limited in who they can marry and have limited employment options. They also live in separate neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are often referred to using the Abeed slur. For example, in the Gaza city district of Al-Jalla, the Afro-Palestinians live in a neighborhood called Al-Abeed [or "children of slaves" or in Jericho, Afro-Palestinian's neighborhood is still called the "slaves of Duyuk."

So, yeah.

Now that we've established that ethnic Arab/Middle Easter

While Arabian's migrated in small numbers to conquered parts of the Caliphates, mostly as offices, officers, nobles and such, the Native peoples remined in their place for the most part.

Kind of like what the British did to the Irish?

My goodness, do you hear yourself??

You're practically making my point for me:

Medieval Arab warlords, caliphs, officers, and nobles violently conquered Native peoples across the Middle East and North Africa, reduced them to second-class citizens in their own homelands, and slowly phased out the native languages, religions, and cultures and assimilated them to Arab supremacy.

In fact, let's take this moment to learn two new terms:

Pan-Arabism: a pan-nationalist ideology that espouses the unification of all Arab people in a single nation-state, consisting of all Arab countries of West Asia and North Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea, which is referred to as the Arab world.

Not to be confused with Arab nationalism:

A political ideology asserting that Arabs constitute a single nation. As a traditional nationalist ideology, it promotes Arab culture and civilization, celebrates Arab history, the Arabic language and Arabic literature. It often also calls for unification of Arab society. It bases itself on the premise that the people of the Arab world—from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea—constitute one nation bound together by a common identity: ethnicity, language, culture, history, geography, and politics.

Soooo... where does that leave non-Arab Native populations who might not be interested in living under the Islamic Arab banner?

Like Kurds, Druze, Sikhs, Hindus, and other non-Muslims being driven out of Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East right now? Not to mention the "separate-and-inferior" status of dhimmi (non-Muslims) in Muslim-majority countries?

The Arabs refer to a group of related preexisting cultures who were united during the Islamic Golden age/Middle Ages, identified primarily by the use of Arabic as a first language. Arab =/= Arabian =/= Muslim.

AKA groups of pre-existing cultures they violently conquered, colonized, and assimilated.

b) You know the "Golden Age of Islam" has been largely debunked, right?

Long story short, the term "Islamic Golden Age" was coined by an Irish journalist in the 1880's, and mostly purported by post-20th century Islamist retroactively taking credit for millennia of scientific camplishments made by the peoples the Arabs conquered. (Mostly from the Islamisized Persian Empire and Jews with Arabic-sounding names in Islam-majority countries.)

I could honestly go on and on, but tumblr keeps glitching out, so I'm just going to post this here.

[chronomally]

"...of the 3000+ dialects spoken in the world today, less than a fifth of them have written forms."

[ammg-old2]

How do you protect a culture that is being wiped out?

For Uighurs, this is more than just a hypothetical. Repressive measures against the ethnic minority have progressively worsened: The Chinese government has corralled more than 1 million of them into internment camps, where they have been subjected to political indoctrination, forced sterilization, and torture.

The targeting of the Uighurs isn’t limited to the camps. Since 2016, dozens of graveyards and religious sites have been destroyed. The Uighur language has been banned in Xinjiang schools in favor of Mandarin Chinese. Practicing Islam, the predominant Uighur faith, has been discouraged as a “sign of extremism.”

Beijing frames these moves as its way of rooting out terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism. But the aim of China’s actions in Xinjiang is clear: to homogenize Uighurs into the country’s Han Chinese majority, even if that means erasing their cultural and religious identity for good. What is taking place is a cultural genocide.

The repercussions bear heavily even on Uighurs living outside the country. Their burden is more than just raising awareness about what is taking place in their homeland—a task many have taken up at great cost to themselves and their families. It’s also about preserving and promoting their identity in countries where few people might know who the Uighurs are, let alone what the world stands to lose should their language, food, art, and traditions be eradicated.

In an effort to understand what this kind of cultural preservation looks like in practice, I spoke with seven Uighurs residing in Britain, France, Turkey, and the United States. As chefs, poets, singers, filmmakers, language teachers, and musicians, each of them is contributing to this work in different ways. All of them are passionate about ensuring that their heritage will be passed on to future generations. None of them is under any illusions about what’s at stake if they fail.

“Every Uighur now is under very big psychological pressure,” Omer Kanat, the director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project, a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit, told me. “We cannot sleep at night.”

[irunevenus]

Buddhism: The Journey of the Mind and Spirit to Enlightenment

Buddhism is one of the world’s oldest and most influential religions and spiritual philosophies, with roots dating back to the sixth century BCE in India. Founded by the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, Buddhism has spread throughout Asia and beyond, shaping the cultures, art, literature, and spiritual practices of many societies. More than a religion in the traditional sense, Buddhism offers a philosophical and ethical path to self-knowledge, detachment, and the pursuit of enlightenment. This article explores the origins, fundamental teachings, and lasting impact of Buddhism.

The Origins of Buddhism: The Life of Siddhartha Gautama

Siddhartha Gautama was born around 563 BCE in Lumbini, present-day Nepal, into a royal family. From an early age, he was sheltered from the painful realities of life, living in a palace surrounded by luxury. However, upon leaving the palace and seeing the suffering of the world—represented by the visions of an old man, a sick man, a corpse, and an ascetic—Siddhartha realized the impermanence of life and decided to abandon his privileged existence to seek an answer to human suffering.

After years of spiritual searching, Siddhartha practiced deep meditation, asceticism, and studied with various teachers, but it was under a fig tree, known as the Bodhi Tree, that he finally achieved enlightenment, becoming the Buddha, which means “The Awakened One.” He spent the rest of his life teaching the principles he discovered, offering a path to the cessation of suffering, known as the Eightfold Path.

The Fundamental Teachings of Buddhism

Buddhism is based on a series of teachings that seek to guide practitioners in understanding the nature of life and in the pursuit of enlightenment. Among the central tenets are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths:

The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Life is permeated by suffering, dissatisfaction, and impermanence.

The Truth of the Origin of Suffering: Suffering is caused by craving and attachment, which lead to frustration and pain.

The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering: It is possible to overcome suffering through detachment and understanding.

The Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering: The Eightfold Path is the practical route leading to liberation.

The Eightfold Path:

Right Understanding: Knowing the reality of the Four Noble Truths.

Right Thought: Cultivating the intention of renunciation, goodwill, and nonviolence.

Right Speech: Avoiding lies, slander, hurtful words, and idle talk. - Right Action: Behaving ethically, refraining from killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct.

Right Livelihood: Choosing an occupation that does not cause harm to other beings.

Right Effort: Striving to avoid negative thoughts and cultivating positive ones.

Mindfulness: Maintaining awareness of the body, feelings, mind, and phenomena.

Right Concentration: Practicing meditation to achieve higher states of mind and enlightenment.

Types of Buddhism: Diversity in Practices and Traditions

Buddhism expanded rapidly after the Buddha's death, dividing into several schools and traditions that reflected different interpretations of the original teachings.

Theravada (The Way of the Elders): Predominant in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka), this tradition closely follows the Buddha's original teachings, with an emphasis on monastic practice and meditation.

Mahayana (The Great Vehicle): With roots in China, Japan, and Korea, Mahayana emphasizes compassion and the path of the bodhisattva—one who seeks enlightenment not just for oneself but to help all beings.

Vajrayana (The Diamond Vehicle): Developed primarily in Tibet, it combines elements of Mahayana Buddhism with esoteric rituals and tantric practices to achieve enlightenment quickly.

Zen Buddhism: Originating in China (as Chan) and later developed in Japan, Zen focuses on meditation (zazen) and direct experience of reality, emphasizing simplicity and self-knowledge.

Buddhist Philosophy: Karma, Samsara, and Nirvana

Buddhism is not just a series of rituals, but a profound philosophy that addresses the nature of the mind and the universe. Central to this is the concept of karma – the idea that intentional actions, good or bad, generate consequences that shape the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, known as samsara. The ultimate goal of the Buddhist practitioner is to attain nirvana, a state of liberation and complete cessation of suffering.

Legacy and Influence of Buddhism

Buddhism’s impact has transcended religion, profoundly influencing the art, literature, politics and philosophy of many cultures. Buddhist monasteries were centers of learning, preserving sacred texts and

Legacy and Influence of Buddhism

Buddhism’s impact has transcended religion, profoundly influencing the art, literature, politics, and philosophy of many cultures. Buddhist monasteries were centers of learning, preserving sacred texts and promoting education. Buddhist iconography—from serene statues of the Buddha to intricate mandalas—continues to inspire.

In the West, Buddhism gained popularity in the 20th century, especially through meditation and mindfulness, which were adapted as wellness practices separate from religious contexts. Figures such as the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh have become global ambassadors for peace and Buddhist philosophy.

Buddhism in the Modern World

Today, Buddhism continues to grow and adapt, with an estimated half a billion followers worldwide. Buddhist traditions remain vibrant, from remote monasteries in the Himalayas to urban centers in the West. In a world marked by stress and the search for meaning, the Buddha’s teachings on compassion, wisdom, and self-mastery resonate as a guide to a more conscious and harmonious life.

Buddhism is not just a religion; it is a philosophy that offers a path to a deeper understanding of the mind and existence. With its timeless teachings, Buddhism invites each individual to explore their own experience, cultivate compassion, and seek true inner freedom.

[hussyknee]

sad how these "freedom for..." posts never include xinjiang because people aren't willing to take a stand against islam the way they are christianity. uygurs are facing genocide on two fronts - from the ccp and from islamists. there's only one uygur temple still standing - all the others have been demolished by muslim extremists. abrahamic religions colonising the world and brutally oppressing native religions and cultures is a tale as old as time, but people are stuck in the weird mindset that abrahamic religions are deserving of respect.

Idk what temples you're talking about, but "Uyghurs are actually a multi-faith society that was forcibly converted to Islam" is CCP propaganda to lie about the fact that they're genociding the Uyghurs for being Turkic Muslims and destroying their mosques and shrines.

I'm just going to lay aside the world-ending irony of accusing "Islamists" (whatever the fuck that is) of colonizing and forcibly converting a people...who live on top of China. I mean I tried to figure out which stage of Chinese history you're trying to erase to get here, but the answer can only be "all of it". China apparently both exists and doesn't exist for you. But Schroedinger's geo-politics or not, I can't let the "Abrahamic religions" bit stand because this horseshit is gaining way too much traction in South Asia.

Judaism, the world's oldest religion, being an upstart colonizing force is a frankly wild thing to say. I even tried to find mention of any colonization by Jews before Palestine and only found a couple of dynasties and vassal states under Ancient Rome. If you're talking about the Khazars in the sixth century, the rulers converted to Judaism voluntarily and there's no evidence it was either imposed or predominant among the rest of the population. Otoh, Jews have been repeatedly expelled, colonized and subjugated by Christians and Muslims (which is why most of their holidays are just "Yay We Didn't All Die"), and Muslims have suffered under Christian colonization for the last two hundred years along with the rest of us, and a lot longer in Europe. Islamic Empires rarely forced conversions (and in fact didn't like having too many Muslim subjects because non-Muslims were made to pay them taxes) and because of that were generally more tolerant than Christian ones, especially of Jews and Christians whom they considered "People of the Book". I mean persecution and ethnic cleansings did happen, depending on who was in charge (the Almohad Empire was particularly awful, which maybe explains the Catholic violence of Spain and Portugal), but in general, mass conversion wasn't the point of colonization. Among the Turkic peoples especially it was trade that spread Islam, not war or colonization, unlike shit-ass Portuguese traders who said, "We come in search of Christians and spices" and proceeded to kill and colonize everyone and torture them into converting. No fucking way you're lumping all of them in one "Abrahamic" colonial basket.

And the Christian legacies that endure in colonized societies are still as legitimate and integral part of their cultural identities. Once something is absorbed into a culture, the way it's shaped and used is unique to that society. Culture is a living, growing thing, like tree roots. It absorbs, merges, winds itself around generational traumas and obstacles and evolves in new trajectories. Whether or not you approve of the contortions of its survival and whether it looks different at the tip than at the root, it's still the same tree. That's why all religions deserve respect. You can't extricate or pathologize them apart from the individuality of the billions of human beings they shape. And all human beings share the same capacity for violence. Ideology has always been a rationalization for the violence we already want to commit. What motivates violence is power, not ideology, which is why we say "history repeats itself"—the dynamics of power are universal and consistent throughout history.

All our civilizations and cultures are as shaped by violent contact as by peaceful ones; ascribing the violence and impact of colonization only to Christian and Islamic empires completely erases thousands of years of histories all over the world (you know, like Imperial China???) Religions don't grow out of the ground; they were always evolved and spread among peoples along the lines of trade, migration, war, annexation, assimilation and resistance. Considering the religious identities of some people (always minorities too—isn't that weird?) inferior or illegitimate because they were "external impositions", and advocating a "return" to a "pure and untouched" past that never existed is the rhetoric of ethnosupremacy, colonization and manifest destiny—in short the language of genocide. I should know, I hear this crap out of fundamentalist Hindus and Buddhists in South Asia all the time. That's why I'm protective of Muslims. Because they're vulnerable to pieces of racist shit like you.

[bharv]

So I noticed with several of your posts that your interpretation of Banites are predominately masculine and is massively ‘good ol boys club’ leaning. I’m curious how in a world that operates under a different praxis of sexism, bio essentialism, economic discrimination, and fertility politics than our own, how and why this is the case. Does it have to do with the general personality types that are attracted to Banite worship? The group of people who just happen to have the means and motive to be attracted to Bane? Gortash’s conscious or unconscious bias? What does being a man mean in Banite culture, to you? I’m so sorry, this is way too long and way too serious ……

Eeee I get to get into this one! I'm only on my first cup of coffee and I am trying and failing to not make this a literal essay (EDIT I failed sorry this is long and I don't think I even answered everything)

And I'm also going to pre-empt this by saying I am not a sociologist, or a particularly smart person! So some of these ideas may be very hack!

So the first thing I have as a parameter here that there's three scopes of influence that inform looking at this to me - there is the version of Faerun and Dungeons and Dragons 5e that Larian put in the game (which I LOVE and appreciate very much, I love the direction that 5e has gone in) there is the history of the writing of some of these characters and the influences of those writers across the history of D&D, and there are the influences I have in how I've built my characters and the influences I'm taking. So I'll try and be clear about which is which where I can!

Under the cut for more as this is already too long!

So the first thing to acknowledge is that gender and D&D in 5e is at its best representation of all time, to me. Obviously things still to improve, but as somebody who started out in the days of 3.5 with all the myriad of problematic ways women were represented, and then through the 4e oddness of "Yes, you as a woman can do ANYTHING!" with no real backup in the worldbuilding, I really enjoy this and I like that Larian has gone for it too in a really meaningful way.

I also think that the Dead Three were created at a point of the most edgelordiest writing in the history of the franchise, and they wear that influence on their sleeves.

We're at a really interesting point in Faerun and Larian are really exploring that in BG3. We have the printing press, we have automatons starting to come into civilian life not just inter-planar stuff, we have pianos (!) and I think it's fair to say we are at a point of change and upheaval in how people live their lives. More information is flowing across the classes. There's more social mobility starting to happen. Automation brings different approaches to jobs, and it also brings unemployment, profit margins etc etc.

We're also at an interesting point with worship of the Dead Three. I'll leave the other two for now but The Church of Bane has already gone through a pretty dramatic reform partly due to the Banesdeath and subsequent rebirth of Bane (Sidenote I need to dive into the similarities and differences between Iyachtu Xvim and The Dark Urge at some point.)

My inference is that in a combination of changing socioeconomic and socio-political norms (we can also include what happened to Elturel and Neverwinter in that, two big local powerhouse cities dramatically altered in the past twenty years before the game) has opened up a lot of potential for a lot of uncertainty, fear, and opportunity in both the church and the way power is perceived. I think this is somewhat supported in the game with just how Gort has risen to power. We get tons of ambient dialogue about the sort of cult of personality he's ridden in on in the general public. He will literally say anything to anybody to get his own way, as shown by his political manifestos having different core values. So I think this is also reflected in the Banite worship.

The Banites traditionally are people with means and ambition, which makes sense, but who those people are could be seen to be shifting too. Landlords, foundry operators, new captains of industry are likely to hold as much sway as the fading patriars. I think it offers a great deal of potential both for progress, but also regression of ideas. It also means that it would be easier, I think, to target new members by positing it as a business venture, which I think we have a little, possibly, support of in the text. It's a club for people of means. Oh, and it's a cult. But you're okay with that, right? Here's some money and some contacts.

I've shown the good old boys club of Bane (which was influenced by the lore line that they were as likely to solve disputes through lively debate, it took me right back to gentlemen's clubs) but I think there are a myriad of ways of worship now that basically play to the indulgences of the participants that best show their hunger to usurp each other. Where they were literally killing each other for dominance, it's now a more subtle set of rituals. Gambling, sex, fight clubs. Rather than torture to evoke fear as the offering to Bane, fear is now a pact offering. Everybody has their metaphorical hands around each other's neck in vice.

I do think there are women, and I do think Gortash hosts them just as he hosts the boy's club I've put forward, but in my interpretation he sees value in dividing, in creating these silos of worship and letting people create their own competition to try and destroy. At the end of it he doesn't care about who is under his boot, as long as they are, as long as he has control of them, and as long as they're looking to each other as the enemy and not to him. I think he would absolutely play into gender politics as part of that.

When it comes to influences I bring, I really like the idea that progress is not as linear as we always assume it is. I read a lot of Victoriana and I find it so fascinating that a lot of British ideas of values and things were really completely made up in that era (on a very not smart note, that's what I'm evoking in my writing. It's literally "enforcing gender essentialism and being Victorian style reformers is evil, actually." Not really very deep.) Myths were repackaged, etiquettes re-examined. Attitudes to sex were a huge one - the Georgian period had a huge shift in attitudes to sexuality and then the pendulum swung back. So I'm putting forward that one of the easiest ways to gain followers is to play into people's worst instincts. I'm not retconning the crap gender politics in earlier editions of D&D, but saying they were of the time and history in-game as well, and Gortash is very cynically using them to gain support. He encourages people to think that they are special, that they are the power, and to look down on the other, but he changes who the other is to suit himself (very contemporary politics there, Gortash...)

The Dead Three have historically been very, very masculine, and I don't think this changes if you have a default Durge. There can, I think, be a case for a reading of the gods being of a different era, a bunch of cringefail men, and their choices of chosen which leans into old misogyny when it comes to Orin (who could have a whole post of her own because of course, as a changeling, she isn't bound to gender at all, but is percieved as girlish, more on that later.) Bhaal being obsessed with siriing offspring and the big buff Bane examples etc. and I do think there's something interesting in their values being also out-of-step with the world. They will never win not only because they suck, but because the world has moved on. Again, Kelemvor and Cyric deserve their own posts here...

I really, really like the idea of Bhaalists and Banites essentially swapping their worship styles a bit and this is only from my own readings. Bhaalists becoming more obsessed with hierarchies and secrecy, Banites becoming more of a club for vice and taking on some of the weird gendered things Bhaal is guilty of as a means of control.

(I also REALLY like the idea of the Dark Urge being a woman, non-binary, or gender-shifting through how they identify and/or being a changeling, firstly because I like the idea of Bhaal God of Mess wanting to try something new. I also like different idea of having a womb and being able to birth in changing Bhaal's plan. It's not wide spread of seed, it's gestation, it's something personal and can be seen as sacred. The Dark Urge is a vessel for Bhaal in multiple ways. And thirdly particularly in trans Dark Urge works I love the idea of autonomy in that. Does Bhaal approve or no? Is this defiance or blessing?)

I'm going to stop there because honestly I could go on forever but this is the surface-level considerations in the worldbuilding of my fics.

[talonabraxas]

'The Temptations of Buddha' (The Temptations of Buddha), 1921 Eduardo Chicharro Agüera (1873-1949) Gautama Buddha was the prince of Kapilavastu, son of Suddodhona, king of Shakya dynasty. He is believed to have been born in 563 BC. From a premonition that Siddhartha (Buddha’a childhood name) would leave home to become a hermit, the king father prevented his son from experiencing any sufferings in society. But as fate suggests, Siddhartha saw corpse, illness and old age and this changed his life forever. He left home and his wife Yasodhara and son Rahul behind in search of the truth of life. He took to being disciple of several hermits and learned meditation. However after years of trying and suffering he was not able to achieve enlightenment by sheer sacrifice and self mortification. He realized that the path to enlightenment was neither of self indulgence nor self mortification. He decided to try the path on his own and started meditating for final 49 days under the famous Bodhi tree. Buddha is supposed to have attained enlightenment. He attained complete insight into the four Noble Truths to achieve emancipation.

India was predominated by Hinduism, a religion where the people lower in the class were considered to be lesser and not meant for achieving mokshya (enlightenment) or even practice dharma. Buddhism, a religion based on the tenets of Buddha treated all to be equal. This was a direct disruption of the existing faith. Centuries after his death Buddhism spread from India to China and several central and east Asian countries. Today it is one of the powerful religions practiced by 535 million people (roughly 10% of world’s population). It is different from other conventional religions. It does not mention about god being the creator of the universe. Instead it lays out Four Noble truths, the Noble Eightfold path and five precepts that will help a person to achieve spiritual freedom.

Buddha experimented with his own life. He dedicated his life towards the cause of finding ultimate truth, sacrificed his kingship and family life to bring a revolutionary change about the way humans live and think. For a period of 12 years he faced extreme hardship in the harsh wilderness trying to find the meaning of life. He exposed himself to starvation seeking this truth. He learnt from the learned in his path to enlightenment. Ultimately he succeeded in finding his truth in his own way. He is the only man known in modern history who succeeded in achieving enlightenment.

To me Buddha is the earliest evidence of bringing social disruption. At a time when modern science had not yet started taking shape, Buddha sought and found truth by looking inside. He devised a new technic of finding emancipation. He disrupted the society and forever changed the way humans look for truth. He gave a roadmap to millions of people through the last two millennia how to seek happiness, peace and truth from within.

Today meditation and seeking for peace inside is prevalent in every walk of life. It is becoming a corporate culture, an integral part of society and also a pathway to happiness in many household. It was Gautama Buddha who showed us a channel and an innovative way to looking at life. Scientists believe that mediation brings multitude of positive changes to us and our brain. Meditation improves wide range of will power skills. It changes both the structure and function of the brain. Society is starting to explore more the treasure hidden in the findings that Buddha explored two thousand five hundred years ago.

[wondereads]

WLW Book Recommendations

Happy Pride!

Recommendations are under the cut due to the size of this post. The books listed below are:

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Crier’s War by Nina Varela

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May

Malice by Heather Walter

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (high fantasy)

Yes, this book is a monster, but it is well worth your time. Told from multiple perspectives spanning a huge fantasy world, an ancient evil is waking up, and humans must be prepared. This book does a great job of blending many different cultures into one narrative, and the way it deals with organized religion is better than any other book I've ever read. While this is a fantasy over a romance, the sapphic relationship in this book is top tier. It develops slowly and naturally; it's not big and sweeping like a lot of romance in fantasy, but the smaller things really come through.

Crier's War by Nina Varela (high fantasy)

In a fantasy world, humans are ruled over by automae, artificial beings that were initially created by humans but have now taken over as the 'superior' beings. Ayla's family was killed by the king, and she vows to take revenge by killing his own family, his only daughter, Lady Crier. I find the history of the automae very interesting in this book, and Crier's story in particular has a lot of good reveals. While this is an intense high fantasy, there is a bit of humor in it. Told from both Ayla and Crier's perspectives, I find it incredibly funny that a human girl is scheming how to assassinate a princess while said princess is experiencing her first crush on said human girl.

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri (high fantasy)

This book is set in a world inspired by ancient India, and tells the story of a maidservant and princess. The maidservant has a dark past that involves illegal magic and old societies, and the princess has been imprisoned by her cruel and despotic brother. This book is very much on the slower side, but some people prefer that. Similar to Priory, this book is told from multiple points of view, not just the two main characters. The unrest in the kingdom is slow and creeping but happens steadily and realistically. Also, concerning the romance, I actually quite like that the two main characters, Priya and Malini, don't exactly have a very healthy relationship.

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett (high fantasy)

One of my favorite books, The Winter Duke is about Ekata, one of the many children of the duchy of Kylma Above. All she wants to do is leave this place and her family to pursue her dreams of scholarship, but when her family falls into a permanent sleep the day before her departure, she must step up to rule. As someone who loves political fantasy, this book is right up my alley, and yours too as long as that's something you like. I really like that this book explicitly states that Ekata has zero interest in men romantically and is only interested in women. Her romance with Inkhar definitely brings out the YA aspects of this book. Ekata is forced to grow up so quickly, it's nice to see her have a crush and get flustered over it like any teenage girl.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide (mystery thriller)

At a predominately white private school, the only two Black students are targeted by an anonymous texter, Aces. Though they have nothing in common, they team up in order to uncover Aces and protect their secrets. Plot wise, this is by far my favorite thriller I've ever read. It's tense, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat, and it discusses institutionalized racism, especially in academia, masterfully. One of the main characters, Chiamaka, has a great sideplot of coming to terms with her sexuality. However, when it comes between her safety and her romance, I love that she keeps a level head on her shoulders and always chooses the former. (There is also MLM rep in this book with the other POV character.)

Seven Devils by L. R. Lam and Elizabeth May (space opera sci-fi)

An intergalactic empire spreads across the universe, and it's up to a ragtag group of rebels to stop it. Eris was once heir to the entire empire, but she gave that up to be part of the Resistance, and one mission may be the deciding factor in the universe's continued freedom. While Eris is technically the main character, this is fundamentally an ensemble cast with multiple perspectives. This book has quite a bit of LGBTQ+ representation, including a sapphic relationship between two of the POV characters. While not a huge focus of the book, their relationship is sweet and touching.

Malice by Heather Walter (high fantasy)

Malice is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty following Alyce, the Dark Grace, who is reviled but used by all in the kingdom of Briar. Alyce dreams of escaping Briar until she starts to master her powers and meets the Princess Aurora. I will admit that I prefer the plot to the romance in this book for the most part, but the ending really gets me sometimes. Alyce's powers and her people's history are so interesting, and Aurora is a great, understanding, and kind love interest.

Stay tuned for more pride recommendations all throughout this month!

[goingrampant]

So... this is sheer nonsense. They've paraphrased a purported quote from Mussolini, declared it the definition of fascism, and abstracted it to make everything center-left to far-right become "fascism". So, as "antifascists", they have to abstain from voting and let Trump rise to power because to put Harris into power would be in service of "fascism". Words, what even are they?

First of all, it's unclear if Mussolini even said that Fascism (big F) is the same thing as corporatism. If he did, he would have been speaking of national syndicalism, which is different from corporate lobbies in modern American politics. Also, big-F Fascism of Italy is not the end-all-be-all of fascism as a general political ideology. It is not the same thing as Germany's fascism, nor that of Romania's, and scholars will often focus on Germany. While Hitler was a corporatist, up until he consolidated power by massacring rivals, there was a competing strand of national socialism that took the socialism part seriously and was going to send the bosses to concentration camps (as evil Jews oppressing the white man) if they didn't give their workers adequate pay.

The definition of fascism is, in fact, hard to nail down. Kevin Passmore attempts to reconcile several contradictory academic definitions in his ~300 page cheekily-named Fascism: A Very Short Introduction, concluding that it's recognizable through various scattered traits that don't always line up (the "pornography; I know it when I see it" assessment) and that focusing too much on the definition of fascism can keep one from responding to non-fascist forms of totalitarian government that likewise must be stopped.

Here is the single-page definition of fascism given by Gord Hill in The Antifa Comic Book: 100 Years of Fascism and Antifa Movements:

Fascism is an ideology that promotes a strong, centralized state under the command of a supreme leader (a dictatorship). Often, a cult of personality is built up around the leader.

Fascist movements are authoritarian and militaristic, often having a paramilitary force that forms the basis of the movements.

Fascism is ultra-nationalist and, as a result, inherently racist.

Combined with the militarism of the movement, these racist and ultra-nationalist beliefs give fascism an imperialist worldview.

Fascist movements are predominately anti-Semitic and see Jews as central to a conspiracy of global domination.

In a fascist dictatorship, all aspects of society are regimented, and all opposition is violently repressed.

The media, entertainment, educational and cultural institutions are taken over, their content replaced by fascist views, philosophy & culture.

By these means, the cult of personality around the leader is strengthened, and the entire state apparatus is built up as a mystical--even religious--entity. In short, the state and society are transformed into a fascist cult.

Note: nothing about corporatism or lobbies.

This is a book intended to get people excited about opposing the far-right in the spirit of antifa and to support real-world antifascist movements against their detractors. It describes actual real-world fascism and the efforts to subvert them both in WWII and in civilian activist groups in Germany, Italy, Russia, England, detailing real-world antifa successes and conflicts with the far-right. It concludes by describing Donald Trump as a fascist-like figurehead emboldening the far-right and reviving militant fascist groups, all but calling Trump a fascist himself. The book came out in 2018. If it was delayed a few years, I think it's likely it would have described Trump as a fascist for attempting to overthrow the election, as some fascist scholars are now doing.

What these anarchist accounts are doing is armchair philosophy abstracting the word "fascism" until it becomes meaningless. They're more anti-[the word "fascism"] than they are anti-[what "fascism" actually means]. In a sense, they're doing the inverse of what Trump's followers do when they promote what amounts to fascism under different labels, nominally opposing neo-Nazis with their flashy swastikas and street violence while engaging in the same basic political ideology. It's also similar to a pattern found on the libertarian-to-fascist pipeline where racist cops committing horrific acts of brutality when nominally enforcing laws are linked to the laws themselves and abstracted into saying everyone who voted for the politicians who put those laws into effect has blood on their hands--so, the ability to vote is determined to be best restricted to white men who own property because they're seen as the only ones who can be trusted with that power (for totally science-based reasons that have nothing to do with bigotry, I'm sure). Basically, you abstract yourself into supporting what amounts to fascism regardless of if you consider yourself a fascist or an antifascist.

This is nonsense. This is supporting actual real-world fascism by seeing to the rise of the Trump administration and the destruction of American democracy. Abstaining from voting for Harris is a fascist action in the way that matters, regardless of what you call it. I say, even if you identify as an anarchist, a far-left communist, if you support a fascist's rise to power by promoting not voting for a generic liberal conservative in a two-party system between conservatism and fascism, you are a fascist collaborator in the way that matters.

[angeltreasure]

Can I ask for your thoughts on the recently-released declaration 'Fiducia Supplicans'?

Sure!! I was waiting for someone to do this.

(Here is the official link to the Vatican document, Fiducia Supplicans, On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings, if anyone else wants to read it. I highly recommend every Catholic read it and avoid all news stations.)

After reading the official document from the Church, watch this video. Skip to to the timestamp 3:30^

More food for thought^

-

Here’s what the entire section of Chastity and homosexuality inside the second edition of the Catechism (second edition, tan cover) says:

Chastity & homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between man or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave deparvity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deepseated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trail. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.”

- #2357-2359, Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition (tan cover), pages 625-626.

-

As a Catholic, I agree with the document. Don’t pay attention to news headlines because they will twist the document in the way they want, away from its truth. That’s how they get views, that’s how they get money. “The world”, when they hear a blessing of marriage, their culture mindset automatically thinks blessing means approval instead of prayer. Now do you see why people are confused?

The Catholic Church is very clear, it cannot and will not bless same-sex marriages, unions, or relationships because marriage according to the Bible is between a man and a woman, established by God through a marriage rite. The culture outside of the Bible, however, says anyone can marry anyone they want and there is no consequence. This document is not saying the Catholic Church will now bless a marriage, a union, a relationship that is approved by “the world”, but rather, it can and always has, given an individual person a blessing to help them get closer to God. It blesses the people to get closer to God to turn away from sin in hopes of Christians perfection.

Thank you for the question. May God bless you and have a very peaceful Advent.

[idrellegames]

Hi, I have a few asks! Hope they're not too much to answer!

What types of weapons do the Erebian League use? I'm thinking scimitars, rapiers..? Maybe poison-coated?

Can a magic-user give up their magic willingly? If so, then how would they be treated in society afterwards?

Out of the Origins you can choose from, who has the worst/best relationship with their parents? (excluding the Child of the Streets since they're an orphan/don't know their parents) I think the Child of the Sea hates their parents the most- they were sold off like a piece of merchandise for Gods sake! (Wayfarer curse reference!)

What age do Wayfarer's usually join the order? How long do they train for before graduating?

Which is the hardest magic sphere to master?

Are bloodbinders exclusive to those of Melusine ancestry- since only Rhodarth and Iaera have been mentioned to have this power and they're both of Melusine ancestry.

Which Origin is likely to receive the most discrimination based on where they are from?

Are Atheists rare- most of the characters mentioned seem to be religious- and if they are, then how are they treated?

Is there any way to find a loophole in a blood oath?

Most of these are answered in the text, either directly or in the subtext.

1. Daggers and throwing knives. As demonstrated by Malsara.

2. No. You can't "give up" magic.

3. This is best left to player imagination and headcanon! How your MC feels about their family and their parents is up to you.

4. There's no standard as it depended on when they joined. But they were usually recruited as children and would graduate in their late teens/early 20s. The MC and Aeran are around 12-14 in the Prologue.

5. They're all difficult to master. The vast majority of the population don't have a grip on the full extent of their abilities because they don't have the training. Not every person who can run can run a marathon.

Of the six spheres, Dispersion is the least understood. Most practical research is focused on teleportation. There are a subset of people who can use it to see briefly into the future (augurs - you can meet one in Episode 2), but the applications aren't thoroughly researched. Similarly, there are aspects of Illumination magic that go unresearched and unexplored. The sphere deals in illusion and perception magic and the predominant focus on the crafting of illusions and manipulating the vision of others. However, manipulating emotions falls into the sphere's domain. Most lightseekers stay away from this aspect of their magic because it is frowned upon culturally outside of specific professionals.

Beyond that, combinations of different spheres for Dual and Triple attunement are even more difficult to master as there are very few people with this level of inherent magic and spheres interact in unexpected ways when you have access to more than one.

6. No, they aren't. The Corsida Brightblades (the largest contingent of bloodbinders in the world) are based in Corsida, a former Lotharic city-state now under Imperial rule. It is located on an island in the Lotharic Sea and very close to Maira, a melusine city below the waves. Many of their members are melusine as a result.

As a side note, Iaera is being re-worked. I'm not sure if they will be a character in Wayfarer.

7. The Wayfarer is going to receive far more shit for being a Wayfarer than where they are from. Child of the Wilds does get some minor flavour text in regards to their accent (since Artanis is considered a backwoods Imperial province), but I wouldn't go so far as to call it discriminatory.

8. I've answered something similar to this before - what gives you the impression that most of the characters are religious? As I said in the previous ask many characters may be culturally religious and participate in religious events, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they believe in gods. Belief and faith lands in many different places across the board.

9. Possibly, possibly not. But a named character who has been introduced is trying to find one.

[inspofromancientworld]

The Mesolithic was a transitional time, both in weather and in early modern human development. As the weather warmed, agrarian lifestyles started to take over. The warming weather along with human hunting cause megafauna to become extinct, which also caused a shift in hunting styles. since the weather warmed closer to the equator sooner than it did farther north, the Mesolithic period started at different times from south to north. Geographically isolated areas developed differently and have different period names.

[image text]

[image one] Mesolithic - Between the last Glacial Maximum and the Neolithic (agriculture) Revolution 20,000-10,000 years ago Middle East 15,000-5,000 years ago Europe

Mesolithic is broadly used in archaeology of Northern Europe (cultures that were followed by agrarian cultures in the Neolithic), Epipaleolithic may be used for other areas (where it isn't clear that the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle was followed by sedentary agriculture). This time frame is a transitional period more than a distinct one of its own. Neither term is used in the New World south of the Arctic.

In Japan, the Joumon cultures were prominent. In Korea, this period is know by the Jeulmun pottery. In India and South Asia, the all three lithic periods are covered under the umbrella of the South Asian Stone Age. In East Africa, the predominant culture was that which centered in the modern country of Kenya. In North Africa, the cultural centers are Capsian and Iberomaurusian. In the New World, this period is called the Archaic, which follows the Lithic stage, which is when people started expanding into the New World.

[image two] Some hallmarks of the Mesolithic Period

Decline of group hunting of large animals in favor of broader hunter-gather lifestyle

More sophisticated and smaller stone tools and weapons

Pottery and textiles start to be found at sites, indicating the beginnings of agriculture

Permanent settlements close to seas or inland water, which offer a steady supply of food

Earliest evidence of weaving found so far dates to 9,500 years ago in Southern Spain.

Pottery can be distinguished between 9,000 and 5,850 years ago throughout Northern Asia, Europe, and the Middle East

Less surviving art and what art there are focus more on humans rather than animals

Humans depicted clothed and often in energetic poses

[end image text]

[paganimagevault]

Dragon of the Hongshan Culture 4500-3000 BCE

I found this interesting. The Neolithic Hongshan Culture seems to host the oldest (to date) archaeological finds of clearly depicted dragon art in the world. The people that lived there had haplogroups that correspond very strongly with modern day Uralic, Baltic, and certain Turkic speaking populations. But those same haplogroups are found in very low frequencies in China today. Genetics is obviously more complicated than just haplogroups, and some of these populations are quite different from each other genetically, but it's an interesting piece of information nonetheless.

From WorldHistory: "The earliest known depiction of a dragon is a stylised C-shaped representation carved in jade. Found in eastern Inner Mongolia, it belonged to the Hongshan culture, which thrived between 4500 and 3000 BCE."

From Wikipedia: "A genetic study by Yinqiu Cui et al. from 2013 analyzed the Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup based N subclade; it found that DNA samples from 63% of the combined samples from various Hongshan archaeological sites belonged to the subclade N1 (xN1a, N1c) of the paternal haplogroup N-M231 and calculated N to have been the predominant haplogroup in the region in the Neolithic period at 89%, with its share gradually declining over time. Today, this haplogroup is found in northern Han, Mongols, Manchu, Oroqen, Xibe and Hezhe at low frequencies".

From NationalLibraryOfMedicine: "The sequence of cultures include the Hongshan culture (6500–5000 BP), Xiaoheyan culture (5000–4200 BP), Lower Xiajiadian culture (4200–3600 BP), and Upper Xiajiadian culture (3000–2700 BP) (Figure 1). The Hongshan culture is one of the most advanced Neolithic cultures in East Asia, with social stratification, distinctive painted pottery and elaborate jade ornaments. Archaeological investigations suggest that hunting- gathering was the main mode of subsistence, but they also indicate early use of cultigens in the Hongshan Culture. The Xiaoheyan culture adopted the basic features of the Hongshan culture, but had a simpler social organization. It was followed by the Lower Xiajiadian culture, which was marked by a gradual shift to agriculture and the establishment of permanent settlements with relatively high population densities, while retaining some of the hallmarks of the Hongshan culture. It was replaced abruptly by a radically different culture, the Upper Xiajiadian, which was influenced by the Bronze Age cultures of the Northern China steppe.

The most ancient populations of the West Liao River valley exhibited a high frequency (71%) of haplogroup N1-M231. Because of the short amplicons needed for the ancient samples, it was not possible to type the diagnostic site P43 of sub-haplogroup N1b, so samples that yielded negative M128 and TAT mutations were defined as N1 (xN1A, N1c). Besides being the only haplogroup in the Halahaigou site, N1 (x N1a, N1c) was also predominant in the Niuheliang and Dadianzi sites. In the Dashanqian site, there were two subtypes of N1-M231: N1 (xN1a, N1c) and N1c-TAT. One of the nine Dashaqian samples was N1 (xN1a, N1c), and three were N1c (Table 1). N1 is particularly widespread in northern Eurasia, from the Far East to Eastern Europe. Its subtype, N1c, is found at low frequency but has high STR variability in northern China, suggesting that this region was N1c’s centre of expansion.

A single instance of O3a (xO3a3) was observed in the Neolithic Hongshan and Xiaoheyan sites, although this haplogroup was observed in just under half of the Bronze Age individuals. The Upper Xiajiadian individuals of the late Bronze Age had different subtypes of O3a-M324, O3a3c-M117. O3a-M324 is found today in most East Asian populations, and its subtype O3a3c-M117 occurs at the highest frequency in modern Sino-Tibetan populations.

The West Liao River valley was a cradle of Chinese civilization, together with the valleys of the Yellow River and Yangtze River, and there is considerable interest among scholars in the origin and expansions of the ancestors of the present-day inhabitants. Extensive analyses of extant populations have revealed that the most common Y chromosome haplogroup today is O-M175 (58.8%, n=176), followed by C3-M217(23.8%), N-M231(8.5%), and several relatively rare haplogroups, namely D-M174, Q1a1-M120, and R-M207. Our data reveal that the main paternal lineage in the prehistoric populations was N1 (xN1a, N1c), present in about 63% of our combined sample of all cultural complexes. It was the predominant haplogroup in the Neolithic period (89%), and declined gradually over time (Table 1). Today it is only found at low frequency in northeast Asia (Table 2). There appears to be significant genetic differences between ancient and extant populations of the West Liao River valley (P<0.001)."

[beardedmrbean]

On March 1, Bulgarians celebrate Baba Marta - one of the most beloved Bulgarian traditions, preserved to this day. We associate the holiday with the symbolic beginning of spring and the renewal of nature. On this day, everyone presents their loved ones with martenitsi – special ornaments made of white and red yarn. They are a symbol of health, luck and strength during the year. This custom is an important element of Bulgaria's cultural heritage and continues to be a favorite tradition for many Bulgarians today.

Although there are different variations and names in different cultures, the general idea of wearing ornaments associated with spring and wishes for health and luck is widespread in the region. The tradition of tying a martenitsa, made of twisted white and red woolen threads, is known not only in Bulgaria, but also in other Balkan countries such as Romania, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia and others.

The name of the holiday "Baba Marta" is associated with the mythical creature "Baba Marta" (Grandmother Marta), which is part of Bulgarian folklore and personifies the changeable month of March. She is the personification of March and is considered the sister of Golyam Sechko (Big Sechko) and Malak Sechko (Small Sechko), which represent January and February. The custom of Baba Marta is related to the beliefs and traditions associated with the coming of spring. Throughout the month, rites are performed to chase away snakes and lizards, as well as fortune-telling related to certain migratory birds.

The custom of wearing martenitsi on March 1 is closely related to the feast of Baba Marta and is the day of her arrival. Bulgarians believe that when Baba Marta laughs, it is sunny and warm outside, but if she gets angry, the wind blows and clouds hide the sun. Therefore, many of the traditions on March 1 are aimed at propitiating her. She is believed to appear dressed in red and visit only tidy and clean homes, so people clean their homes at the end of February. This spring cleaning symbolizes getting rid of everything bad and unnecessary from last year. A red tablecloth is brought out into the courtyard to please Baba Marta and attract favor to the house, according to Bulgarian stories.

The martenitsa is made of two twisted threads, mostly of woolen or cotton yarn - in white and red. In some areas, the martenitsi are multi-colored, but the red color always predominates - a symbol of life, the sun and fertility. While the white color represents purity, innocence and happiness. It is a tradition on the first day of March for the oldest woman in the family to tie a twisted white and red thread on the children's hands for health and against bad luck. Martenits are carried for a certain period of time - until the appearance of a flowering tree or the first migratory bird. They are placed on a tree or under a stone. In the latter case, you can guess - if there are ants under it, the year will be fertile. Another custom is to hang them on a flowering tree or bush or carry them to the storks' nest and only then put them on a tree. Decorated trees and bushes are traditionally seen in many places in Bulgaria and the world. It is believed that the gift of the martenitsa brings happiness and luck. That's why all people give martenitsi to their relatives and friends.

Legend of the Martenitsi

There are many legends and traditions related to the origin of Martenitsa in Bulgarian culture. One of them tells about Khan Kubrat, the ruler of the proto-Bulgarians, who at the end of his life ordered his sons not to split and always remain friendly and cheerful. So that Bulgaria's enemies may never defeat them. Time passed, the khan died and it was time to check his vow. Then the Khazars attacked the proto-Bulgarians and captured Kubrat's daughter - Khuba.

The leader of the Huns, Khan Ashina, offered the five sons to recognize him as their ruler, and he would free their sister and conquer the Bulgarian lands. The Khan's sons did not know what to do, the choice was difficult.

The eldest son, Bayan, decided to recognize Khazar rule and stay with his captive sister. The other brothers did not agree and went to look for free land for their tribes. One brother went north, and the others, Asparukh, Kuber and Alcek, went south. Before parting, the brothers secretly agreed with Khuba and Bayan to stay with Arshina, at least until free land was found. After that, Asparuh would send them a bird tied by a golden thread to its leg as a sign to flee. The brothers went on their journey and left the captive girl and Bayan in Ashina's hands.

Soon Khuba and Bayan received the sign from the dove with the golden thread on its leg. Eventually, they escaped from the bad khan and reached the waters of the Danube. They did not know how to cross to the other shore and only the dove could show them the way. Bayan took a white thread, which Khuba tied on the leg of the pigeon. They let the bird fly, but at that moment Hunnic troops appeared and fired at them. Bayan was injured, and the beginning of the thread he was holding was stained with blood. Just at that moment, Asparukh appeared with his soldiers on the other side of the river, which caused the Huns to flee.

Asparukh helped Khuba and Bayan cross the river. He took the thread from Bayan and tied its white end with the red one. He then pinned his troops with a piece of the red thread. After that, he stood before the army and confessed that he and his brothers had disobeyed their father's advice and thus paid with their blood for their disunity. He ordered that the red and white thread never be torn, because this bloodstained thread will forever bind the Bulgarians.

[chiefwritesbook]

The worldbuilding in SOTAL, a master post

Something something insert intro let's just get straight into it

(shameless plug: if the worldbuilding below interests you, you can find plenty of it in this book: https://books2read.com/songofthewolf)

Locations

Kies Tor

A landlocked kingdom home to the elves. The south is predominently tropical rainforest and low-lying plains or wetlands, all subject to flooding during the storm season. There are two types of weather in the south: hot and dry (miserable) or slightly less hot and humid (miserable). Going north of the White River puts you in the foothills and mountains of the north, or the Highlands, as the locals will call it. The weather here is much more temperate and nice and won't try to murder you if you set foot outside.

Going east from Kies Tor puts you in unmapped territory: a steep mountain range along the eastern border makes travel near-impossible with the technology they currently have. North also puts you in the mountains, though these are much more navigable, and crossing the range into the frozen wastelands to the far north will land you in Hellhound territory. South of Kies Tor is Astaria, home of the Faefolk, where the entire kingdom is tropical rainforest and difficult terrain. West is the Draconian Empire, one of the biggest empires of the era, whose conquest has won them most of the western world.

The Draconian Empire

Home of the Drakels, lizard-like folk descended from the dragons. Their empire stretches across most of the western mainland due to their highly successful conquest. The northern half of the empire enjoys a nice and temperate climate, except for the northern desert, which is searing hot all year round and freezing cold at night. The south is more tropical, but many of the settlements in the south have been built along the coast, so they enjoy a nice coastal breeze which makes the heat a little more manageable.

The Drakels share their eastern border with both Kies Tor and Astaria. West is the Silver Ocean, past which there has been no recorded land (as of yet). You'll eventually hit the far northern tundra if you keep going past the desert, and northeast will once again put you in the mountains. South is also the Silver Ocean, which curves around the Draconian Empire and all the way into unmapped territory.

The Far North

Braving the cold northern mountain range, you'll eventually find yourself in the Far North, a frozen, mountainous wasteland where little life can flourish. It's said that half-giants live secluded in the mountains, but there have been no sightings of them in centuries, and it's little more than a rumour at this stage. However, the territory itself belongs to the Hellhounds, wolf shapeshifters who keep to semi-isolated packs and only gather together for important cultural or political moments.

East of the Hellhounds' borders is an impassable mountain range, which extends south past the eastern Kies Tor border. South is Kies Tor, home of the elves. North is the Sea of Ice, an ocean filled with glaciers and icebergs that's near-impossible to navigate. West is another mountain range, past which you'll hit the Draconian Empire.

Astaria

Home of the Fae. Like southern Kies Tor, it's comprised entirely of dense, tropical rainforest, making it near-impossible to navigate the wilds. The Faefolk operate under their own independent government under their own king, and have largely resisted the Drakels' advancement into their land. As a result, they have a long-standing truce with the empire.

North of Astaria is Kies Tor, home of the elves. West is the Draconian Empire, and south is the Silver Ocean. East is unmapped territory - all that's known about it is that it's the realm of an unfamiliar group.

Species

Elves

There are two types of elves living in Kies Tor: forest elves and mountain elves. The elves don't particularly care for this distinction, so they refer to themselves as either southerners or Highlanders. In terms of differences, mountain elves have rounded ears and tend to be paler, whereas forest elves have long, pointed ears. They can live for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and so they measure their age by maturity once they hit adulthood.

Faefolk

The Fae often get mistaken for southern elves these days, but back when magic was still prevalent in the land, the Fae specialised in illusory, transformative magic, while the elves specialised more in elemental magic and magic for combat. They also have much shorter pointed ears than southern elves. Similar to elves, they measure age by maturity after reaching adulthood.

Drakels

Lizard-folk, similar to the Dragonborn of D&D, but with more dragonlike features and a tail. They're the closest descendants of the dragons, which haven't been seen in the known world for the last 500 years. Many now believe the dragons are extinct and the Drakels are all that remains of their bloodline. They have much shorter lifespans than elves or faefolk and measure age by years lived.

Hellhounds

Wolf shifters who are technically a race of demons. This is because they have incredibly long lifespans and (according to mythology) were descended from the stars themselves. They have heightened senses and rapid healing that makes them impossible to kill unless the brain is destroyed. Because they live for so long, they measure age by milestones such as 'adolescent', 'adult', 'elder' etc.

Half-Giants

Either rumoured to be extinct or living in seclusion, depending on who you ask. They were descended from the giants and mountain elves and persecuted alongside their giant ancestors. Not much else is known about them.

Languages

Torrian

Spoken by the elves of Kies Tor, often mistakenly called Elvish. Elvish is the language GROUP that Torrian falls under, and includes both the mountain dialect spoken by half-giants as well as Faerie (spoken by the Fae). Torrian itself was a purely spoken language for many centuries, until the tradition of recording written history came along, at which point a writing system was developed. The language now is split into Old Torrian, which encompasses the period before the development of the written language, and modern Torrian, which is of course just referred to as Torrian.

Faerie

Spoken by the Fae in Astaria. Because of its similarities to Torrian, speakers of the two languages can communicate to some extent without being fluent in both. These similarities also make it easier for Torrian speakers to learn Faerie and vice versa, and settlements along the border between the two countries will often have bilingual speakers who are proficient in both.

Kier Dekkel

A 'bastard tongue' developed from High Draconic and is also part of the Draconic language group. Because most High Draconic sounds were impossible for non-dragons to pronounce, an approximation had to be created so other creatures could communicate with the dragons of old. This 'approximation' eventually evolved into Kier Dekkel through migration and trade, and is now spoken primarily by the Drakels.

Mainland Demonic

Spoken by mainland demons. Another language of the Draconic group, Demonic is believed to have evolved directly from High Draconic as a result of frequent interactions with the dragons. In a few thousand years, this current form of Demonic will become Old Demonic and branch out further into various dialects.

Northern Demonic

Technically a variant of Demonic spoken only by Hellhounds, but the language has evolved to the point that speakers of the northern variant can no longer communicate with speakers of Mainland Demonic.

High Draconic

Also known as Draconic, this is an ancient language spoken by the dragons. It's believed that Draconic existed before the first civilisations in the magical realm, making it the oldest living language in the world. Because such a language predates the era of non-dragon races, many sounds are physically impossible to pronounce without dragon vocal chords.

Elvish

An ancient language developed and once spoken by the elves. Most of it has been lost, but its roots live on in more modern languages such as Torrian and Faerie.

Important Historical Events

The Torrian Civil War

In the early days of Kies Tor's founding, most of the nobility in Kies Tor were northerners who lived in the Highlands, where the temperate climate and open plains made for good farmland, while most of the poor commoners were southerners who lived in the tropics. The northerners eventually started running out of farmland in the north and decided to expand south.

This did not sit well with the southerners, who thought their southern culture was being trampled upon by the northern nobility coming in & just settling here without any consideration for the locals, so they protested strongly against the expansion of land from the north. When the north didn't listen, the southern nobles decided to take up arms against the invaders and a civil war broke out. During this time, some of the northern nobility would come to see the damage they were doing to the Torrian rainforest, and side with the south. The rest would continue trying to expand across the south and failing miserably because the southerners were right at home in the tropics and taught all the northern nobility their guerrilla tactics.

The king would eventually get sick of everyone fighting and officially decided to establish a 'summer palace' in the south, claiming the entirety of the south as the property of the Torrian monarchy and thereby forcing the northern nobility out...but also screwing over the southerners in the process because their land was now private Crown land. To try and fix this problem without giving up his lands & allowing the northern nobility to come back in & continue the civil war, he offered the southerners his personal help in developing their agriculture & trade, bringing in the nobles who had sided with them in the war. A hundred years on, southern civilisation is prospering; the royal family had made the 'summer palace' their permanent residence in Kies Tor and gifted the old palace to House Blackrun, who had always strongly supported the south & who would eventually renovate the palace into the heavily fortified Castle Blackrun.

The king would also, however, underestimate House Blackrun's support of the southerners. Despite their newfound wealth and expansion across the south, the southerners were still bitter about the king's claim over their land as his own property. House Zylvaris & House Vakrish would gather the other southern lords and northern nobility together and plan the biggest act of treason in Torrian history: bringing down the royal family and crowning a southerner as king. House Blackrun, among many northern noble houses, lent their support, and together, they stormed the palace in Belanore & took over it completely. However, in the battle, Lord Vakrish was killed, meaning that the head of House Zylvaris, Talin Zylvaris I, would be crowned the first southern Queen of Kies Tor.

The Inquisition, aka the Purge of Magic

A thousand years ago, King Braenern of Kies Tor visited the half-giant clans of the Far North on a diplomatic trip to maintain relations with these semi-nomadic peoples. While there, he asked the half-giant sages to look into his future and tell him what it held. The sages allowed him to drink from their Pool of Prophecy, and when he did, he interpreted the prophecy shown to him as a terrible omen. Believing that he would be struck down at the hand of a Weaver, a magic user, he returned to Belanore and immediately outlawed all magic in the land.

But as the weeks turned into months, Braenern grew ever more paranoid, believing that perhaps the Weavers would simply resort to some underhanded trickery to assassinate him instead. He ordered his soldiers to round up any and all Weavers in the land and having them executed, citing that magic was a terrible curse upon the land and that the gods deemed it necessary to purge it. The magical races of the land weren't spared either - dragons, giants, and fairies were all hunted down and persecuted in the same way. When news spread to the neighbouring kingdom of Astaria, the Fae King also believed Braenern's superstitions to be true, and enacted a similar purge.

Slowly, over the years, Weavers went into hiding or fled the two kingdoms, and the giants were hunted to extinction. The dragons remained in seclusion in the furthest corners of Kies Tor until the last of them were seen flying east over five hundred years ago. By the time the Draconian conquest spread across the west, magic itself was all but extinct, viewed with fear and suspicion as an oddity that should be quashed.

The Invasion of Kies Tor -> the Elven-Hellhound War

Almost 50 years before the present day, a large splinter group of Hellhounds, led by General Kehlvor, crossed the northern range and entered Kies Tor. Velnora would be the first village to fall to the invaders, with a message from Lord Edric Blackrun detailing this loss only reaching King Gandar months after the first attack. The suddenness of the invasion, combined with the superior military might of the Hellhounds, prompted Gandar to begin construction of a heavily fortified wall along the west. However, he would die of natural causes before this wall could be completed, leaving his successor, King Arnas, to continue the project in his stead. Today, this project is known as the Western Forts, and remains the strongest fortification in Kies Tor.

The First Draconian Civil War

Shortly after Emperor Fillius IV's accession to the Draconian throne, he implemented a series of changes in his goal to dismantle the old social hierarchy and bring about a new age of equality and peace. However, this angered many elitists, who banded together to try and overthrow him. Though Fillius and his allied prevailed in the end, he would lose his wife in the civil war, leaving him to raise his only son alone.

If you made it this far and read everything then I both admire and fear you. Have a cookie 🍪

This post is subject to edits and additions whenever I feel like adding more. Current version: 1.0

[arkay-vingt]

Buddy, I am observing the effects that different religions have on people. It's not that the harm done by Christian hegemony negates any harm done by Muslims, it's that the SCALE of harm done by Christianity is much larger than the scale of harm done by Islam. Y'all are using the word hegemony incorrectly. Yes, Islam is the second largest religion. And Christianity is the largest religion. Even if there were more practitioners of Islam than Christianity, that wouldn't be proof of a "Muslim hegemony." That's not how hegemony works. It's when a small group of entities, such as the United States or the European Union, has political, economic, and military predominance over a larger group of entities. Did you think hegemony meant "tyranny from the majority," like how most reactionaries criticize direct democracy? There are much more Muslim majority countries than Christian majority countries, I'm sure. That doesn't mean there is a Muslim hegemony. And the occurrence of bad things in an Islamic country doesn't prove "Muslim hegemony" any more than a black person participating in a violent protest proves "black supremacy." You also cannot talk about things like human right violations in countries such as Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan without talking about how United States foreign policy has affected said countries. The current state of Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan are in fact a result of Christian hegemony, and the US military's belief that they are on a mission from God to rule the world. And that's not hyperbole, they GENUINELY act as though they own the world and the universe.

And I don't think I need to remind you of the British Empire, where the sun never set on Christian hegemony.

Western culture will act as though they are enlightened and secular, but like how I cannot separate myself from the privilege I experience due to living in a country in the imperial core, we also cannot separate the history of modern imperialism from the Christian doctrine. Missionaries, Manifest Destiny, the divine right of kings, all of it created modern conditions.

So no, I still don't think there's such a thing as Islamic hegemony. Just like how I don't think "reverse racism" is an issue. And you know what else? The existence of the Saudi government or the Israel government doesn't negate the decolonization efforts done by Jews and Muslims across the world.

You seem to think any critique or pushback against any religion or cult is invalid/pointless (?) due to christianty's greater global influence. Yes Christianty is nearly an imperial power in its own right, but to say to those who challenge or have suffered under the oppressiveness of other faiths "dont worry about it, at least they're not christian" is such a fucking condescending cop out. Comparing it to reverse racism is insulting and really shows how little you understand of how much suffering is caused by religous oppression beyond christianity.