#(( also have some azathoth

[drowningparty]

I have some thoughts re: Kayne / godhood (spoilers for intermezzo)

I don't think Kayne respects any of the other gods. He definitely doesn't respect the King in Yellow, he knocked him over the head w/ an oversized mallet to give him amnesia and stuck him in Arthur's head and reduced the Dreamlands to "a lawless waste" for a laugh. He also destroyed his city for the hell of it. He doesn't fucking care. He's rude to John, ignores him, says 'Arthur' when referring to both of them. I thought I noticed this undercurrent of quiet animosity, but felt vindicated during 40 + Intermezzo b/c he was suddenly soooooo loud! Ignoring & talking over John? Check. Telling him he's not special like Arthur? Check. Saying he'll torture him worse than Arthur just because he can? Check. My theory is it's b/c John's still a god, technically. Like the whole, choosing your own name + path... you'd think would be something Kayne could sympathize with (as much as Kayne can feel sympathy), but...........no. He knows John is easier to manipulate w/ fear (he can send him back to the Dark World w/ a snap of his fingers), and saves his faux sympathy for Arthur.

I think this is b/c he likes humans. Sure, he also likes killing them, but I don't think those impulses are mutually exclusive. Kayne's the most "human" of the gods we've met. He talks like a human, makes pop culture references, looks passingly human, etc. I think he envies them, in a way? They have a freedom I think he lacks as a god, even though they are confined to one timeline. We still don't fully understand how gods work, but from his description alone it sounds like he thinks of them as limited. They have incredible power compared to mortals, they exist outside the piano... but are confined to a single key. Which sounds to me like their path is predetermined and they're not intended to develop free will. Kayne's an anomaly b/c he does, or tries to.

He wants to put humans in an antfarm, perhaps as a demonstration of his free will. That's all Carcosa was, right? An antfarm. He wanted to play godzilla, smash the ants. Arthur's another ant in a different farm, and he watched his entire life play out across several verses to try to figure him out. What makes him unique is he dies in every other verse. Kayne can't figure out what makes this Arthur so special that he survives when all the others don't, but it implies he did something right with his free will, that this version is an "anomaly" like Kayne. He respects that, b/c it means this version of Arthur has done the same thing he has: taken control of their narrative. Even Kayne choosing his own name is an example of that. Becoming Kayne, rejecting the title Nyarlathotep and all the baggage that comes with it, the expectation to be what his father wants, a messenger for the outer gods (although he may still want that, I expect whatever his intentions are re: the Black Stone, they're his, not Azathoth's).

Arthur is usually a mirror for character's to see their humanity reflected, but instead of seeing his humanity (b/c he has none), Kayne looks at Arthur and sees himself. Which... surprised me? He seems so confident in his godhood, I thought he just viewed Arthur as his fave toy or human, like even in the S4 finale I found it hilarious how he kept going: "why can't you all just be more like Arthur???" apropo of.....nothing, but he didn't treat him like someone he identified with, so it caught me off-guard when he compared himself to Arthur, but that's big for a god! and I think it supports my thesis he envies humans for their freedom. Their roles aren't as "established" as a god's. Humans have free will, something he had to kill every other version of himself to gain. Even then, I think absorbing his alts (???) or whatever he did after killing them to become more powerful fucked him up, may have driven him mad if he wasn't already when he started this exercise in defending-himself-from-ever-getting-deleted, like he doesn't sound okay when he's talking to himself.

TLDR: Kayne thinks Arthur's special b/c he lived, when all the other Arthur's in Kayne's Arthur-Killing-Experiment died! (: Kayne can't figure out why, but he likes not knowing why. He likes humanity b/c of their freedom, b/c he's a chaos god who wants as much freedom as possible. And he's aware gods are fallible, they can be deleted, which takes all the romance out of godhood. Kayne's the most powerful god we've met b/c he's taken steps to emulate humanity's free will, the thing that makes Arthur "special," but what makes Arthur "hard to see" is probably his humanity. As much as Kayne likes humanity, I don't think it's something he can truly understand, which is why he enjoys sticking humans full of pins and trying.

I think it's neat Malevolent prizes humanity over godhood. Even gods seem to value humanity over godhood. John wants to become human. Yellow wants acceptance from a human. I think Kayne holds humans in higher esteem than gods. Those who look down on humans or try to 'ascend' and leave behind their humanity, like Larson, are clearly in the wrong. It's not seen as a weakness to be human, and even the parts of humanity that are usually written off as a weakness (our rage, grief, violence, desperation, etc...) are viewed as strengths in Malevolent, and I fucking love that about this show.

Anyway, I'll, uhh, shut up now.

#malevolent spoilers #malevolent #sorry if this doesn't make sense #I just think mad malevolent gods are neat (: #(rambles incoherently for six paragraphs) this could have been a tweet #kayne malevolent

[vashtijoy]

maruki, ren, wakaba: history rhymes

Maruki's journal entries cover an almost three-year period, from 2014/04/09 to 2017/01/01. This overlaps with almost the entirety of canon; Akechi begins working for Shido "two and a half years" before 11/21 (that's 2014/05/21)—which, again, is not too far from this 04/09 date; if you want to hypothesise that he, too, awakens around 2014/04/09, go wild.

Why is 4/9 a significant date for Maruki?

4/9: maruki and joker connect to their personas

According to his journal, Maruki's awakening is a painful, drawn-out process. In February 2014, he's already getting headaches. They worsen until August of that year, when he partially awakens.

His start of darkness is, of course, the murder of his girlfriend Rumi's parents. The killer then attacks Rumi while making his escape, and Maruki is powerless to prevent it. She never recovers, and neither does he:

Apr. 9   I just can't believe what's happened. I'll never see Rumi's parents again... I don't even know if Rumi will ever come back to me. Her heart's been completely closed off ever since that day. Why did this happen? What did Rumi do to deserve this?   Do we really have to just go on suffering these consequences? My headaches are getting worse— I'm even starting to hear things. Am I having some kind of breakdown? I can't lose it... I have to do something to help Rumi. No matter what it takes.

But 2014/04/09 is the first day he feels able to journal about the murder. "I'm starting to hear things," he says; this is likely the first day he hears the voice of his persona. It's also the date he commits to help Rumi "no matter what it takes".

... However. This is also two years to the day before Joker stops at Shibuya Crossing, gets the Meta-Nav from Yaldabaoth—who is lurking far beneath the Crossing—inadvertently enters the Metaverse, and sees his own shadow and the suggestion of the persona it will become:

He is a scary boy when he wants to be, huh? I bet his Palace would have been amazing. Note that Joker, here, will also not awaken right away—but he's seen his persona, his shadow-as-is, for the first time.

8/21: maruki's partial awakening and wakaba's murder

(@notcoolnickname points out that Wakaba dies on 8/21, not 8/22—thanks! I think we can push Maruki's awakening back two days rather than one, so I'm gonna, lol. Because even if it's a day out, or two, this is really too close for coincidence.)

On 2014/08/23, Maruki writes about his visit to Rumi in the hospital. We also see that visit. He talks about "someone" he's recently met who thinks his research has promise, who wants to fund it—well, it's no surprise he loses that funding, put it like that. He talks about how he wants to save the whole world, by changing the cognition of criminals before they act.

Rumi does not take this well; she begs him to help her forget. And he realises that what she needs is not a solution to crime, but to her trauma—and so does everyone else.

This is when he awakens.

He begs Azathoth to help him save Rumi. And Rumi forgets him entirely—almost. But she's forgotten her trauma, as well:

Aug. 23   I still can't figure out what that voice was in Rumi's room. Was it my subconscious? Was it... it feels so strange writing this as a scientist, but... was it some kind of godlike being?

The entry's dated 8/23, but he says he still can't figure it out. So when did the events in the video happen? Were they two days before, by any chance?

What else happens not just on 8/21, but around or on this exact day?

Yeah. On 8/22, Sae places Wakaba's murder "two years ago". The day before, on 8/21, Sojiro commemorates the anniversary of Wakaba's death.

That's to say: if that visit to Rumi was on 8/21, then Wakaba was murdered the day Maruki awakened. The same exact day, or as good as. Like, what the fuck, y'all?

It seems really clear to me that these corresponding dates are either a thematic or narrative link back to Yaldabaoth—who, of course, causes both Joker and Akechi to awaken. Is he involved with Maruki, somehow? Does he have his fingers in more than one pie? Or are all these guys just narratively echoing each other?

Maruki, of course, will ultimately replace Yaldabaoth in Mementos.

other correspondences in the timeline

What else is there? Well, Maruki's first journal entry, when he talks about his headaches, is on 2014/02/02—three years before he meets with Joker and Akechi at Leblanc. But he says he's meeting Rumi's parents "tomorrow". So his 2/3 boss fight is on the three-year anniversary of his first meeting with Rumi's parents.

His entry about his research being shut down, and his need for test subjects—presumably what leads him into counselling?—is on 2015/06/03. Well, 6/3 is the calling card deadline for Madarame's Palace; I don't think that is too significant. But note that, in this 2015 entry, his research has been shut down; in August 2014, when Wakaba was murdered, Shido was still offering Maruki funding.

So why didn't Shido murder Maruki? The answer is that Shido was still actively recruiting Metaverse researchers, even after Akechi was working for him. Something about Maruki made him unusable—his good intentions and general incorruptibility, maybe—but not dangerous; maybe he just didn't know enough. Also note here that Akechi doesn't know there's anything special about Maruki until the third semester.

He journals that he met Yoshizawa and changed her cognition on 3/25—a couple of weeks before canon begins on 4/9. So whenever we see him, whenever he has a counselling session, he's able to connect with, and change, the cognition of the person he meets....

Lastly, he doesn't journal that "I've finally done it... reality and the cognitive world are merging" until 1/1. 1/1 is the day reality starts to go properly squiffy (the shrine is empty, Morgana is missing, Futaba mentions her mom), and it's the day after that odd New Year party, when everyone seems just a little too happy. Joker's dream is on the night of 12/31—Maruki doesn't send him the dream, I think (Joker is in his prison clothes and sees Lavenza as the butterfly) but he talks to him in it.

But Akechi is there in Shibuya on 12/24, barely moments after Maruki gains Yaldabaoth's power; just hours after the blood rain. The first gift Maruki gave with his new power, I always thought. But he seems to only become aware of what he can do after 12/24. We skip from 12/25 to 12/30, so anything could have happened in the meantime....

But what's going on here? Something odd, that's for sure. Is it possible—just possible—that that Akechi we see, on 12/24, who steps forward in Shibuya and turns himself in, is not the one Maruki interferes with or otherwise brings back, but the actual, living Akechi who was there all along?

#persona 5 #p5 meta #takuto maruki #wakaba isshiki #ren amamiya #akira kurusu #masayoshi shido #goro akechi #but speaking of odd coincidences #futaba's boss deadline is the anniversary of wakaba's death #ouch

[eonian-nightmare]

Why I think the character Kayne from the Malevolent podcast is Nyarlathotep.

Okay, so obviously Malevolent follows lovecrafitan logic. So let's look into that Lore.

*Spoiler warning up to episode 31*

Malevolent is heavily inspired Lovecraftian lore. With a heavy focus on The King in Yellow, as well as minor influences from The Black Stone, The Dream Cycle and others, the supernatural of the world generally has roots in HP. Lovecraft's universe. So, when it comes to unknown characters such as Kayne, listeners can't help but dissect the entity in hopes of figuring out motives as well as possible plot progressions. Following this mindset, one can only hope but wonder what it might mean to draw comparisons to Nyarlathotep. Nyarlathotep (aka the Crawling Chaos) is one of the primary antagonist in the Lovecraftian universe. He doesn't really have a reason for his "villianry", apart from having an amoral perspective, a sadistic personality, and a desire to manipulate those around him, he generally just follows the will of his father, the blind god, Azathoth. However, in his spare time he is often seen manipulating and deceiving humans for personal pleasure, often choosing to toy with them or drive them insane. Although Kayne seems to fit this bill, being the epitome of toying with people and unhinged insanity let's talk specifics parallels.

Seven Million Voices & Two Heads

In episode twenty, in a joking maner, Kayne hands Arthur (the protagonist) a coin, and states the following: "Look, I often wish I had two voices in my head Instead of, like, seven million? But when all is said and done, you can always flip a coin. Two heads and all that." At first, this sentence may seem like just another deliriously random thought spewing from Kayne's mouth but upon further investigation, we can assume that this quote is some foreshadowing into future plot points or a Nyarlathotep reveal. It is important to note in art and imagery it is not uncommon for Nyarlathotep to be depicted with two heads. This displays interesting connotations because it implies that Kayne was acknowledging that his human form is not his true form, and instead a disguise which like Nyarlathotep he often wears. This is important knowledge as Nyarlathotep is the only "other god" (powerful lovecraftian beings) that can wear a human mask. Furthermore, Nyarlathotep is also able to create avatars/minions to follow him and he communicates with them telepathically. This would likely feed into Kayne's numerous voices in his head.

Travelling the Planes

Unlike most gods, both Kayne and Nyarlathotep alike are easily able to travel through dimensions/worlds/planes. Nyarlathotep often is depicted as being able to exist "beyond the archetypal infinity", existing across every and any plane at all times. Kayne follows this pattern as we see him both The King in Yellow's city, found within the dreamlands in episode twenty, and in the mines on earth in episode twenty-eight, despite it causing other gods like The King in Yellow to break apart and split.

Biblical Imagery

Its important to note that althought unintended, Nyarlathotep is often seen as a the twisted version of Jesus Christ, or even depicted as the devil. This is because as Sigmund Freud states, interpretation of the text belongs to the reader, and offers a psychoanalytical insight into ourselves by what we understand from it. So, existing in a predominantly Christian dominated world, it makes sense that critics and fans alike have made the comparisons.

Nyarlathotep is the son of the blind God; Azathoth, sent to be his messenger and do his bidding on Earth, similarly to how Jesus was sent to earth to do the biding of his father. It's quite easy to bounce the idea of Jesus and Nyarlathotep off one another, with Nyarlathotep being to destruction as Jesus is to being a saviour. Looking at Kayne, the same can be applied, we can acknowledge the destructive nature of his being but also compare the significance of his appearance. Walking around with bare feet and hands, drenched in blood that would not stop, could easily be seen as a direct parallel to Jesus' own injuries post crusifiction. Plus there's the fact that in response to John's "Jesus Fucking Christ" swear, Kayne responded with "Present and accounted for!", something that could have been just a delusional quip but in light of everything else seems suspicious.

But what about the devil? Surely a character of evil nature should be attributed to him and well yes, while Nyarlathotep is also depicted as the devil, its interesting to instead see Lucifer and Jesus as two sides of the same coin, or as Kayne earlier said; "two heads". I could dwell on philosophy, discussing the significance between cultural understanding and the tradgey in Lucifers tale, which depicts him more as a victim that a villian, but that tangent would take me far to much of track so instead I skip to the parallel with the devil. In the bible, Earth was called lucifer's domain. He had primary influence, and as such the heavans took drastic measures to ensure there were ways to combat it. They realised fighting on his turf was to strong, so god sent his only son to create a gateway out of his domain without the cost. This had to happen because Lucifer walked amongst the humans when others could not, he would whisper into their minds, corrupting them to sin and puppeteering them into madness. When it comes to lovecraftian lore, Nyarlathotep essentially did the same. He was known to have the most powerful influence over earth compared to all the other gods, he whispered into their minds and constantly drove humans insane. This is something that Kayne implicated he had the power to do. Kayne stated that compared to John/ The King in Yellow, He is more powerful, especially using mortal understanding. He was able to exist on earth because it was his domain and considering his relationship with sanity, it hardly seems unjustified to do this comparison.

Also its important to note, Lilith is refferenced as having a close relationship with Kayne and in Lovecraftian Lore. She is Nyarlathotep's daughter.

Faustian Comparisons

Apart from Lovecraft, Malevolent takes inspiration from many other sources such as Robert Frost, William Ernest Henley and most significantly Faustian folklore. With the podcast following a similar premise to the tale (man with a dead wife, drowned child, combats irredeemable guilt by making a deal with a demon), it makes sense that Kayne and Nyarlathotep would hold comparison to the main demonic being; Mephistopheles. All three entities maintain a chaotic, trickster based personality, inspired by their willingness to play and trick humans. Mephistopheles takes this further, using contracts and deals to delude. In the episode Coda, Kayne mirrors this by offering Arthur (Our Faust counterpart) a deal, allowing him to retrieve part of The King in Yellow for himself. As the deal-maker Kayne manipulates Arthur, pressuring him into a deal in which the fine print is hidden just as Mephistopheles does to Faust. So we can only presume Arthur will meet a similar demise at Kayne's hand as Faust met at Mephistopheles.

TLDR: All in all, if Kayne is supposed to Nyarlathotep, who is essentially the antithesis of Jesus Christ. I reckon we have an interesting story ahead of ourselves. Especially considering the Faustian inspiration practically guarantees tragedy

#nyarlathotep #lovecraftian #hp lovecraft #malevolent podcast #kayne malevolent #the king in yellow #religious #religious imagery #lucifer #comparison #mini essay #azathoth #Mephistopheles #harlan guthrie

[arcane-abomination]

Now it’s important to remember that Eldritch work is done from each individuals unique perspective. Thus, what I have down as a sabbat is something unique to me. My own UPG if you will. This list came from my personal understanding with the gods that I work with, so take from it What’s suits you. Feel free to add or take away as you like.

Disclaimer: be aware that this only pertains to the Lovecraftian gods that I work with. Not all of them.

• New Moon •

The new moon is cloaked in darkness symbolizing the unseen in the physical realm and the stronger pull of the metaphysical where the gods dwell. Thus this moon gives us a great time to honor all Eldritch forces. Offerings, meditative rituals, and drawing down Eldritch energies are just some of the practices performed around this time.

• Velamen •

Latin for “veil” this sabbat takes place on October 31st. Associated as the time the veil between worlds is the thinnest, thus greater connections to alternate dimensions and the realm of the dead can be made more easily at this time. Within Eldritch magick, this is the time to honor Yog Sothoth. He’s not only the deity associated as the keeper of dimensions, but also carries many Necromancer properties as well. Thus it is considered respectful to give offerings and thanks to this deity at this time.

• Hibernal Solstice •

The Hibernal Solstice takes place on December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the two moments during the year when the path of the Sun in the sky is farthest away making the day shorter and the night longer. This time can be dedicated to all Eldritch deity but most often can be more directly associated with both Azathoth and Cthulhu. This is because symbolism is often dedicated to aspects of dreams and dream magick in accordance with the night since it’s associated primarily with sleep. This means the connection to those dream forces is extra strong, and while all Eldritch deity reach out in dreams, both Azathoth and Cthulhu are most well known for their dream-like energies. Offerings, dream pillows, and other dreamy associated concoctions can be dedicated to the gods at this time.

• Nativitas •

From the Latin word for “birth” this marks the time of the spring equinox, March 20th, and therefore energies associated with new life and new beginnings. Shub Niggurath, the goddess of fertility is celebrated around this time. Offerings and rituals dedicated to the goddess are performed at this time.

#paganism #witchcraft #pagans of tumblr #chaos magician #chaos magick #eldritch magic #witches of tumblr #chaos witch #eldritch witch #chaos witchcraft #lovecrafian #lovecraftian witchcraft #lovecraft

[monstersdownthepath]

Other critters I need to mention more on this blog at some point:

--The King of Glass: Outer God that’s a living planet. The world has fallen in love with its sun and showers it with ‘gifts’ taken from all over the cosmos. It primarily gathers these gifts by trading with mortals and immortals, sending out elaborate, eldritch artwork made from the rainbow-shaded glass it can create from the sand that makes up most of its body in exchange for gifts for its beloved. While these works tend to be mundane (if unsettling), more than a few of them have some unusual, otherworldly, or even dangerous function.

--Oa-Imago, the Deepwoods Mirage: Chaotic Good Great Old One that lives in the border between dream and reality and can cause the two to overlay with its presence. Enjoys dancing among mortal dreams and visiting its favorite ‘friends’ in the waking world to transform them into whatever they desire, though its efforts to contain its destructive and disorienting presence are... lacking, in some areas. It has little concept of pain, fear, or death; these things mean little to a dream, after all, though it’s come to understand that it must undo what it does to its ‘friends’ more often than not.

--The Gravesong: A mysterious melody that haunts the First World like a specter; some remnant of a fallen Eldest, or a haunting song too beautiful to ever stop playing, or perhaps the shards of whatever Death could be found in the First World before it was moved closer to the Positive Energy Plane. Anyone who hears it becomes obsessed with the idea of recreating it, but normal musical instruments won’t do. No, the only equipment that could properly capture the Gravesong have to be crafted from more robust materials. Flesh, blood, bone, and things still stranger, so long as they relate to death and decay.

--The Indomitable Radiance: A creature referenced a few times in other articles already; the Radiance is an Outer God of beauty so pristine, flawless, and true that no creature that looks upon it can bear to look away. With the loss of its home dimension, the Radiance is concerned with preparing a cabal of trusted individuals from all over the Great Beyond to maintain and impose its alien ideals of order and beauty on whatever unwitting world it longs to conquer, with the long-term hope of establishing a society so perfect and cleanly that it can march upon the universe and eradicate Chaos (in all its forms) altogether... because the background radiation of entropy itself causes frays and faults across its body, and that won’t do.

--Aquila-Rediannadier, the Inverse Orchestra: Perhaps it’s a song, or an idea, or a form of life so bizarre it could never survive in our cosmos in any other form. It is perhaps a child of Azathoth, because it seems to dance to the orchestra that surrounds the Sultan, but more importantly is that its amorphous body reflects alien melodies into its surroundings, much to the detriment of whatever creatures may be nearby. Some find madness, some find destruction, but some find twisted inspiration in watching it sing and dance.

--The Loathsome, Shaggy Beast: An abomination, a glitch in reality made manifest when the Eldest Fey Imbrex dared to dream a little too far beyond reality. It’s purposely nameless as to avoid being defined, rejecting any attempt by the world to tell it what it should be as it shifts from grotesque form to abhorrent shape; the title that it bears was imposed upon it by the Eldest in an attempt to cage its concept in a body that could be killed, but as a living recurring nightmare it cannot be permanently slain, rising time and time again from dream and memory.

--The Mother of Filth and her children: A disgusting and corrupt Outer God from a past cycle, the Mother of Filth is bound by obsession in all its forms, but is primarily obsessed with reclaiming all the power it once had by consuming and replacing entire civilizations with its Filthbreed simulacra. There’s also its children, the siblings of the Bloodletter and Clorpt, each claimed by a different obsession: The Wretched, obsessed with microbial life; and the Fragrance Architect, obsessed with scents and decay.

--A bunch of demigods: Like Caerbannog, Nascent Demon Lord of Aggressive Mimicry and Camouflage; an unnamed Vesltrac Demagogue of isolation and meditation, who locks victims away in featureless demiplanes until their sanities have snapped; Saint Caligine, velstrac founder of “Gastromasochism,” who encourages his followers to consume horrifying (and especially spicy) foods to experience new forms of pain; and a handful of disgusting qlippoth lords.

#original concepts #this doesn't even cover the stuff that's not original to me that im converting nonetheless

[let-them-eat-rakes]

third semester persona 5 royal is so the mind electric coded (some of these are my headcanons for akira's feelings) (also long post)

"resident minor, how do you plead? we'll need your testimony on the stand. solemnly swear to tell the whole truth; so help you, son, now raise your right hand." maruki's multiple ultimatums

"i've a good heart, albeit insane." if akira or akechi tried to explain the situation to anyone they would come across as bat shit crazy

"condemn him to the infirmary." 2/2 vibes. akira has to choose between letting akechi go out on his own terms or condemning him to maruki's reality

"all mine towers crumble down, the flowers gasping under rubble." akira wakes up to find everything he worked for had disappeared, and has a small mental breakdown as his world crumbles around him when he sees his friends

"shrieking in the hall of lull, thy genius sates a thirst for trouble." maruki seeing the engine room scene, akira screaming for akechi to still be alive

"scattering sparks of thought energy, deliver me and carry me away." maruki manipulating the phantom thieves' cognition to blind them to the truth, but he believes he is doing good, carrying them away from pain

"here in my kingdom, i am your lord; i order you to cower and pray." maruki's god complex, that he is somewhat unaware of / ignoring

"nuns commence encanting, as the lightning strikes my temples thus." akira going around, breaking the thieves from the illusion, clearing their minds

"spiralling down thy majesty, i beg of thee, have mercy on me. i was just a boy, you see; i plead of thee, have sympathy for me!" the thoughts going through akira's head in the seconds before the phantom thieves arrive

"see how the serfs work the ground. (see how they fall) and they give it all they've got (fall) - and they give it all they've got (fall) - and you give it all you've got, till you're down. (ha! ha! ha! ha!)" i imagined a cool scene about this part when just randomly listening to the song, and it's kinda what inspired this entire post: at some point before 2/2 (like maybe 1/30 or something) akira secretly goes to maruki's palace, and basically just asks 'why. why are you doing this, what's your game here.' and maruki brings him up to a balcony overlooking the city. he says the lyrics (i know cheesy, but imagine he's using it as a metaphor or something) and the parts in parentheses are his savior complex/azathoth/adam kadmon.

"see how the brain plays around; and you fall inside a hole you couldn't see. and you fall inside a hole, inside a-" maruki truly believing that he is in the right, as he sees how (for lack of a better word) damaged the thieves (especially the royal trio) are mentally

"SOMEONE HELP ME" once again, the royal trio and maruki. sumire needing help to be who she truly is, and it's interesting to imagine her just suddenly yelling it during her boss fight. akira needing help to be able to finish things, and a bit of a headcanon: he has so many personas that his original self (pre metaverse) is buried so deep that he can barely access it. akechi needing help to finally do something that he chooses to do for once, and go out on his own terms. maruki believing himself to be the help that they need, but in actuality he also needs help

"doctor, i can't tell if i'm not me." i think that each of the royal trio has identity issues. kasumi/sumire is obvious, akechi is split between his facades, and the previous headcanon that akira has so many personas that he doesn't know who he is anymore. also, if anyone wants to make an animatic or something, this line can be sumire and akira actually saying this to maruki back at shujin, and akechi pondering it to himself during the events of the game

"when it grows light, the particles start to marvel, having made it through the night. never they ponder, whether electric, calming if you look at it right." maruki lying on the platform after the fistfight, accepting that he was wrong and deciding not to try to stay alive when the platform collapses

#let them eat rakes #posted from a pile of leaves #persona 5 #persona 5 akechi #persona 5 royal #the mind electric #p5r #p5r spoilers #akira kurusu #akechi goro #sumire yoshizawa #takuto maruki #royal trio

[lee-hakhyun]

from an outside perspective it’s really feeling like they’re emphasising kim dokja’s status as an eldritch god. like,,, you don’t feel it through orv because kim dokja himself has just enough knowledge from reading twsa to navigate, and on his own you can really tell how human he actually is, but. take things from a distanced perspective, and suddenly. suddenly, it’s azathoth and the outer gods of lovecraftian lore, played completely straight. i’ve heard enough people compare azathoth and kdj that i think i can say this much

you wanna know something i’ve thought about a lot regarding kdj and the oldest dream? about yjh becoming a terrorist, and how kimcom willingly went back into the fray, how they returned to the previous timeline - and how some people couldn’t comprehend their choices at first? it makes me think of that old trope of ‘going mad from the revelation’, how some people say that gazing upon this otherworldly being’s true form or ‘learning the truth of the world’ would surely make someone go mad.

go mad with what, though? insanity? or grief? because so, so often, one’s pain is incomprehensible to outsiders, and fail to understand how or why you lash out or break down. it’s a depressing pattern in real life, too. kdj goes mad with grief and self-hatred, learning the truth; kimcom take on the insane route of going through the apocalypse again just to reach the end; yjh is unable to heal, to cope with a world without the scenarios and without his companion to bear through it, and so he fights over the replica of the arc. from an outsider’s perspective, without the understanding that the people involved are all brokenhearted over truths only they know, it might come off as insanity. but it’s all just grief.

with that said, however, to have someone jung heewon KNEW, cruel as he was, replaced by someone from a world beyond - and to start singing the praise of someone else’s name? to say ‘i need to find them?’ how all of them look to one name that outsiders simply DO NOT KNOW, to hail this unknown person as important, as an idol, as… as a god…

the 41st turn before their version of shin yoosung travelled to the other worldlines is a forgotten story, and by orv logic forgotten stories are outer gods. in lovecraftian lore, the outer gods sought to wake the blind idiot god azathoth, who in orv is represented by kdj dreaming for ‘eternity’. also, the Outer Gods of orv (the one actually being called as such right now) see the side story - which is the ‘forgotten’ 41st turn, now being written in where once it was not - as their chance to finally be written on the wall. so it’s. it’s. this is just singshong taking their lovecraftian elements to their logical extreme

interestingly, however, kdj isn’t the only reader anymore, is he? orv places a lot of emphasis on communication and writing on the wall, but in the side story it could perhaps be interpreted as ‘trying to be read by one person in particular’. and then the readers that die are labelled as ‘kdj33’ or ‘kdj47’, reducing them to being ‘just a part’, but… they’re all different people. they’re all people who took in kdj’s story, thus his story becomes a part of their own - but only a part. i’ve said that before, but.

well, you can’t force your own narrative on to someone else.

han sooyoung tried that, actually, didn’t she? tried to get kdj back through ending the story early only to realize the hurt she was causing and backing off. you can’t always reach people in the way you want. that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stop trying, but there’s also a point where you need to recede, to compromise. am i making sense? i have no idea where singnshong is taking this story, but i’m looking at hsy with lee hakhyun and ceokdj with the readers turned kdj fragments and the outer gods wanting their story written on the wall and. i feel like i’m starting to see a pattern. i could also be hallucinating, but i could also not be. i offer this for your consideration

okay i put this aside for a bit but yes. oh my god. eldritch kdj.. i had not heard about this before, but that's so interesting thinking about it through that lens. and in the side story, hsy forcing the memories of orv on jhw to try to break her.. the explict mentioning of han sooyoung being seen as a 'god' in that moment...

--

fun fact, if you don't remember! lovecraftian horrors are also mentioned as outer gods in orv

chapter 179. when talking with the devourer of dreams, kdj mentioned these modifiers

the fear of sarnath - bokrug

horror from the hills - chaugnar faugn

master of r'lyeh - cthulhu

--

now, adding my own thoughts - the pattern is identity. stories.

there's something wrong with everything in this turn.

the kkomas were cute. until it was revealed that they were dead readers. though.. is that not also kind of what the yoo joonghyuk kkomas are? they may have all been yoo joonghyuk, but their lives in that turn were their own. <- however. the difference here is that while the yjh kkomas were all 'yoo joonghyuk' these kdj kkomas were NOT. they all had their own lives before being brought to wos, and upon being killed and placed in the theater.. they lost themselves.. which is terrifying to think about. you die, and you're brought back to watch your companions go on without you, but you're not yourself anymore. you're kim dokja, who wants to continue watching the stories on the screen.

the transmigrated readers. until the latest chapters, we hadn't been shown the real effect of the readers possessing characters in this world (honestly, we were led to believe that most people transmigrated into 'extras' without their own story. but that's not true, is it?). cheon inho has no one close to him as far as we know (lol), but that's not the same for others. what about the people who knew the possessed characters? lee hakhyun realizes this in the latest chapter, that maybe him and the readers coming here were an additional disaster for the people that lived here.

lee hakhyun's problems,, he's constantly going back and forth on 'lee hakhyun' and 'cheon inho', and there's clearly something wrong with the way he sees himself... we know more about him that he does currently, and if he does find out. i don't think things are going to end well.

and of course. everything about kim dokja. his name is in everyone's minds, the readers are desperate for a source of hope and he has become that to them. kim dokja is being idolized. even before the scenarios, there were those using kim dokja's story in the same way he used yjh. it's not framed as a negative, if that's what you need to do survive, then you should always do what you can to survive, no matter what. but even when you borrow stories, you need to stay yourself. you are your own person.

there's a clear connection with all of these, and it's identity. who someone is, the way they're seen, their stories. what makes you yourself? stories make up who you are, and these outer gods want their own stories written down on the wall to define themselves. rep kdj wanting the readers to forge a new story, lee hakhyun discovering stories that were never told in orv.

right now, nobody's happy. time is running out for the outer gods, the readers have unwittingly destroyed others by taking over these 'extras', kimcom are still desperately searching for their star, our dear protagonist is continuing to doubt himself. and kim dokja is still watching.

...this is orv. not everyone will get their happy ending. their goals oppose each other. we can hope for the best, but that isn't going to happen.

#word VOMIT. im not editing this sorry if it makes no sense! #THESE ANALYSES ARE ALWAYS SO GOOD AND I AM NOT A PERSON WHO THINK ABOUT THINGS TOO DEEPLY... #i cut some parts of this out (mainly about han sooyoung + the outer gods) because i couldn't word it right. but they connect with this too #<- might come back to this once i have the corresponding chapters translated. give me a day or two #i know i talk about identity so much but this is what the side story is all about #i didnt know about the lovecraftian stuff until i read it on the korean wiki for orv <- it's so much more detailed than the eng one lol #ask #orv #orv side story #orv spoilers #lee hakhyun #somewhat related? but i realized part of why i related with lhh so hard #it's the trans experience #living a life that might not be the worst‚ but you're not truly yourself. feeling like you're living someone else's life‚ #responding to a name that isn't really your own. #anyway the TRANS CHEON INHO PFP IS STAYING !!

[drama-glob]

*Spoilers for Helluva Boss Season 2 Episode 2

This episode was crazy on several levels, but also really touching and sweet. ^_^ I felt bad for Octavia on Stolas forgetting what day it was (Azathoth’s Tears celestial event) because he was telling Stella off when she wanted her stuff from the divorce so he wasn’t making a mistake on purpose, but nothing like almost 20 years of repressed anger to distract you. O_O This at least set up Blitz’s trouble with his daughter Loona and her talk with Octavia later all the more poignant. Also, Moxxie and Millie just having their own thing was cute, but seriously Moxxie, he needs to stop buying everything on an LA street corner. XD

We don’t know for sure how long this is after “Ozzie’s” takes place, but I’m guessing a few days to 2 weeks at the most because 1) Stella wants her stuff and I doubt she would wait long for it and 2) Blitz’s calendar had Stolas’s name written with a bunch of question marks on it, like he wasn’t for sure they’d be hooking up. It’s possible they did have a talk and are trying to work something out, but Stolas was at least being less thirsty in this and kept calling him “Blitz” instead of “Blitzy,” meaning he’s trying to be more respectful/was more focused on finding his daughter. If it has only been a few days since “Ozzie’s,” then they probably haven’t worked out yet what they want in the relationship, but put it aside for this episode. I have a feeling he will still get the Asmodean crystal to give to Blitz, but he’s got to go see Asmodeus for that and if “Ozzie’s” did just happen, it’s probably going to take a fair amount of will to see him. (Hopefully we’ll see Asmodeus and Fizzarolli in the next episode then and get some more of Blitz/Fizz’s backstory ^_^)

I loved that Octavia wound up killing Brennon Radgers (supposed to be Brandon Rogers obviously XD XD XD), which caused the whole mistaken identity issue and causing Blitz to have to act on a sitcom. There was also some foreshadowing with Blitz saying he has performed since and then we don’t hear what it is, so most likely the incident that scarred him and either caused Fizzarolli to loose his limbs and horns or got his mom killed. :(

Loona’s flashback was so terribly sad and makes what happened in “Spring Broken” mean more in that Blitz saw someone like him who was told they were worthless, needed help and to be loved, so he adopted her as his daughter to try and do that. ^_^

Also, there were so many Stolitz moments from both Stolas and Blitz that it makes me think that even if they haven’t talked yet, they still have feeling for each other and have bonded/found empathy over worrying about their daughters instead of just sex. I’m still glad that Stolas found Octavia and said he was sorry because he didn’t mean to neglect her, but he still messed up and hurting her is the last thing he wants; fortunately, they could still have the fireworks to watch together. Poor Blitz though on Loona not reciprocating the hug, but we did see that she does love him, even if she won’t admit it.

#helluva boss #seeing stars #helluva boss season 2 #stolas #stolitz #blitz #loona #millie and moxxie #moxxie #millie #asmodeus #fizzarolli #octavia #stella #spoilers #thoughts #gifs #gif set #helluva boss stolas #helluva boss stella #helluva boss octavia #helluva boss blitz #helluva boss millie #helluva boss moxxie #helluva boss loona #helluva boss asmodeus #helluva boss fizzarolli #funny #touching moments #sweet

[leelreallylikespersona]

If this isn’t too big of a question.. would you be willing to briefly explain your reasonings behind the arcana in the Decaying Godhood AU? I can tell you’ve put a lot do thought into this .. 👉👈

YES I CAN THANK YOU, This'll be a lot so get comfy (✿◡‿◡)

Nyx (Tower): I really wanted Nyx to have the Moon since... she is the moon, but I found the meaning for the tower worked better (plus there's some connection to Tartarus there I'm sure). From what I found, upright Tower means destruction/damage/catastrophe, which Nyx very much did cause (or almost caused). It also means unexpected change, which works well for this AU since she very suddenly gained a sense of self, now having her own identity, rather than a concept or a force.

Ryoji (Death): This one is obvious I think.. the only one I didn't have to change. I know Ryoji also has the Fortune arcana in FES, but I think Death works better for the AU. I think the idea of loss and renewal still work for him in this story!

I should probably mention that neither Nyx or Ryoji are able to use Arcana Shift anymore.

Izanami (Empress): One of the meanings for the Empress is new opportunity, which works here since Izanami's given a second chance of sorts. You could also apply the nurturing aspect from the Empress tarot loosely to her.

Izanagi (Emperor): Izanagi is a pretty strong guy... He's probably a pretty good leader too I would assume, given his time with Yu. I also wanted him and Izanami to have arcana that were counterparts.

Yaldabaoth (Devil): I always loved giving Yaldabaoth darker aspects to juxtapose his holy exterior. The upright Devil tarot usually means being trapped, addiction, so on... You could say he was addicted to the power he was getting from the masses, he probably still is and is fighting with withdrawals, so to speak. Reversed Devil means breaking addictions, freedom, which he is now, as he's no longer physically and metaphorically chained down.

Satanael (Justice): This may seem like kind of a stretch?? But the way I see it is Satanael is fair in relation to Yaldabaoth... Whatever Yaldy does, Satanael's actions are done to maintain a balance of sorts.

Emma (High Priestess): She's a computer, she knows a lot of stuff even if she doesn't realize it. I gave her this based on the wisdom-related meanings of the arcana.

Salmael (Lovers): He gave me the most trouble, but I do think Lovers fits good ol Salami. In P5T, Salmael uses Toshiro's troubling relationships to try and take him over. The Lovers focuses mostly on romantic relationships, but I think the meanings can extend to familial and platonic relationships as well.

Azathoth (Hermit): This arcana focuses on introspection, and other forms of withdrawing. Azathoth is supposed to be this otherworldly entity, but now he's able to think and act for himself, and now he's experiencing emotions. Azathoth takes some time to figure out who he wants to be, figuring out what abilities he has.

Adam (Strength): Adam is strictly a physical attacker in this, as mentioned before. He has a lot of physical strength, but he also helps ground the group since he's been living as a human the longest. While in battle he only has so many attacks and no magic, outside of battle he is a huge help.

I hope these make sense! It was fun figuring these out for these guys (✿◕‿◕✿)

#Persona 3 #Persona 4 #Persona 5 #Persona 5 Royal #Persona AU #P3 spoilers #P5R spoilers #P5S spoilers #P5T spoilers #Decaying Godhood #I'm not sure if I need them to have new arcana but I still think its fun... Nyx can talk all about it

[2af-afterdark]

I'm now legally obligated to send these in when people send Virgin Killer asks, I hope you understand that /j

Since you did the kings reacting to Virgin Killers, I deposit another commentary on which characters are absolutely rocking it:

But only a handful that I think are interesting cuz I actually invested attention into them

Eligos and Paimon: They rock that shit.

My thoughts for Eligos in a Virgin Killer are similar to my thoughts on Nu: Carnival's Aster in a Virgin Killer. They both accessorize that shit. Eligos isn't popping out in some plain grey VK sweater like the ones that pop up on when you search online. If that shit isn't in his signature colors with bows and a flattering hemline, he isn't wearing it, end of story.

For Paimon, also lots of accessories, probably more varied than Eligos, more colors, since Paimon's cuteness aesthetic has a wider color palette. Would bedazzle the VK sweater at least parially, perhaps add a frill trim to the hemline. Either way, it will be cute, and he will spill blood on it at least once.

Phenix: It's fucking Phenix

Phenix is probably one of, if not the only one, who could somehow make the VK sweater more sexual, by not even altering it. That being said, he probably would. I can see him deciding it's not tight enough and cutting off strips of the fabric before sewing it back up so it has to stretch around him. The way his outfit is designed, I could see him replacing the main piece of his bodysuit and wearing the VK with his red top and cloak instead. It wouldn't be tight enough to show off as much of his figure, but he'd also have his entire back and man tiddies out.

Marbas: Imagine how his restraints normally look. Now imagine those straps around that fucker, but in a tight black VK.

Dude free balls it on the regular, and judging by the full body character card I found online, is totally hung. The placement of his restraints, the ones going down the middle of his neck and chest and circling around his hips, already reminded me of a VK, and the fabric for a VK probably wouldn't be so uncomfortable that he'd instantly say no either. I mean, his comic panel jokes about angels retreating after seeing his dick, give the man a VK and let his dick swing free, angel problem fixed.

Dantalian: This is self indulgent, VK doesn't fit his helpless victim motif that he likes to play up to aggro angels, but in all fairness, I find this man adorable in a hot way, so he's included.

Just, picture this sexy motherfucker, if you're into him, I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, just in a VK, ripped and torn, just all roughed up. Tied up in ropes, body covered in graffiti, lookin like he just got jumped. It may not fit with the rest of his costumes, but still. Plus, dude's got nice legs and at least one nipple piercing, he'd look great in it.

Azathoth (Secret Shop Keeper): I'm writing this one as a joke

I can't stop imagining this man as a fucking cryptid who would walk past literally every demon in hell in the sluttiest (said positively) VK sweater imaginable, for a month, before disappearing for a week, and showing back up dressed in his normal clothes and gaslighting the entirety of hell into thinking they all just had one massive joint hallucination

can you tell i have fun with these?

There are so many here. Please just read them. Marbas made me chuckle.

#❖ impulsive gay everything #love letters ❤️ #talkin' whb

[twilightknight17]

Yesterday on P3R, I genuinely wonder how anyone is learning anything at this high school. For fuck’s sake. XD

I did finally manage to get a readable picture of the warning screen that comes up when you boot the game.

Again, I think this is a good idea, considering… everything. I mean, going off the movie characterization, even Mina is mildly passively suicidal this whole game. It’s a lot.

So I joined the track team, because no one answered when I knocked on the swim team’s door. After attending one practice, I’ve learned that Minato can apparently run marathons with no problem. Going to Tartarus one time should not have done that, so like… what is this kid’s routine off-screen? XDDD

Also oh my god, guys, I didn’t “go out with” Yukari. Please.

I live with Mitsuru, too. Just go ahead and treat me like a god.

Went back to Tartarus to train a little and get some more personas. I’m fascinated by the fact that apparently you can’t go at all if Mitsuru is busy in the evenings. I wonder if that’ll change once we get a proper navi.

I’m also sharply and suddenly reminded that P3 has a different demon set. Like, not only did I get Forneus at level 8 instead of level 50-something, I also got… this thing???

Fucking baby-Azathoth looking son of a bitch. But I needed zio, so okay. X’’’D

Anyway, this school is absolute madness. I got asked before about some historical thing and managed to logic out the answer, but now we’re in math class and god help me.

In the words of Po, who I sent this screenshot to: “OH GOD NOT AGAIN”

The explanation doesn’t even help explain why I got it wrong! I picked C. But no, A is apparently a logarithmic spiral, and MA’AM? Did we actually learn this in class or did you just pop this question on everyone out of nowhere???

All the teachers in this school are nuts. The history teacher is glossing over everything at the speed of light so he can get to samurai, the literature teacher just wants to talk about haiku, and then there’s… this guy.

Who is also the school nurse, so like… oh no.

My education and my health feel in danger. X’D

Meanwhile, on the social link side of things… Ehhhhhhh. I don’t know how I feel about these people so far. Track guy (Kaz?) considers me a rival, which is cool and all, but my Magician, Kenji is… uh…

I am literally just a guy eating ramen.

I feel a less intense version of what I felt for Mishima, I think. Just a general, like, “I don’t think I actually want to be friends with you, but you have latched on for some reason.” He’s still on about asking out a teacher, which, again, godspeed my dude. Please don’t expect a shoulder to cry on when you get shot down. I'll be busy wishing my link was with Junpei.

...the ETHICS TEACHER? Oh man my dude. Forget shot down, you’re gonna get shot into the sun.

Moving on! A wild Shinji appears!

And then he is gone.

But now the internet at the dorm is fixed, so I can spend my birthday looking at… single-use computer software. Which is apparently a thing. Somehow. Whatever, time to try a virtual diet to make myself more charming!

...okay, I laughed.

And to round off my in-game birthday (mine, not Minato’s XDDD), a nice visit from Pharos, warning me that a terrible challenge is coming.

So, yay! Next time, I’ll probably make it to the first full moon, and maybe I can finally smack some sense into Junpei so he stops being passive-aggressive about not being the leader.

Bonus: God, I wonder who made this game. Baofu, are you out there?? This Side's Kozue??? Anyone?

#Li plays P3Re

[areadersuncertaintyprinciple]

Lovecraftian Influence in ORV

On a sleepy bus ride, a few months ago, I was peacefully listening to the s2 this BBC podcast called The Lovecraft Investigations(the name of s2 is "The Whisperer in Darkness").

It is a mystery thriller/horror fiction podcast created, written and directed by Julian Simpson, based on the modernization of several works of H. P. Lovecraft & presented as a podcast-within-a-podcast in which the two hosts of the Mystery Machine, a true crime podcast investigating cases related to the occult and conspiracy theories.

I was listening to ep6 at that time & some minutes in, the podcast describes a "series of things" that strongly remind me of ORV, all traces of sleepiness gone. (following text snippets have been taken from the Pleasant Green wiki, with some additions by me):

Eleanor explains that Nyarlathotep is supposedly the avatar of Azathoth, an entity that is dreaming the universe into existence. But Azathoth is unaware of this? Nyarlathotep goal is to trick humanity into opening a portal to Azathoth's Dreamlands and let Azathoth enter our reality, an act that would send the human race into collective insanity...

The episode definitely goes into more detail but I'm too lazy to do a transcription now. However, I think this short summary from the ep does race a few flags- entity who dreams the universe into existence? avatar of the entity? HEY THIS IS SIMILAR TO MAD & SECRETIVE PLOTTER.

I tried to find if anyone else on the internet(a common fan of Lovecraft & ORV) had noticed this & I found one, very detailed post on Reddit. This confirmed my suspicion & also fueled my curiosity more- I had to see for myself how deep the links went.

so.i.researched...hehe

(contd. in part 2)

#areadersuncertaintyprinciple #tumbler of misc whisperings #hp lovecraft #orv #orv omniscient reader's view point #orv novel #orv meta #orv spoilers #pleasant green #lovecraft investigations #singshong #omniscient reader #julian simpson #azathoth #lovecrafian #cthulu mythos #eldritch horror #nyarlathotep #most ancient dream #secretive plotter

[hplovecraftmuseum]

Nyarlathotep is somewhat unique amongst Lovecraft's fictional entities in that he was usually presented to us as a fairly 'human' looking presence. Dagon is a fish/ frog, Cthulhu is a squid/dragon, Yog-Sothoth is generally discribed as a group of iridescent spheres. Shub- Niggurath is oft-times sited as 'The Black Goat of the Woods' with a Thousand Young. Most of Lovecraft's other characters are fitted out with inhuman appendages even if they are slightly humanoid otherwise. Wilbur Whateley is anything but human when we see him attacked and stripped of clothing in, THE DUNWICH HORROR. The "avatars" of Nyarlathotep also display non-humanoid features in his stories. In THE DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE, the Black Man - an actual character connected to traditional witch cults - tromps around on what are suggested as goat-like feet. The HAUNTER OF THE DARK has vast wings and a three- lobed eye. True, Nyarlathotep claims to have multiple incarnations or manifestations when he meets with Randolph Carter in THE DREAM QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH, but Lovecraft almost always presents us with his human-like side. The name Nyarlathotep first came to Lovecraft as he was coming out of a dream state. His title, The soul and Messenger of Azathoth/Chaos might have been a connection HPL attached to Nyarlathotep later and from some other bits of early fiction. As I've suggested previously, most of Lovecraft's gods and aliens appear naked. Most are outwardly as much animal as anything like humanoid or even mammalian. Certainly Nyarlathotep is presented to us as a sort of ultra- cosmic model for Satan. I think Lovecraft was trying to imply by his varied discriptions of Nyarlathotep that 'He' was the ORIGINAL and archetypical devil, scratch, Satan, Lord of Darkness, common to nearly every mythology throughout human history. Nyarlathotep's presence is a complication for those who follow August Derleth's conception of Cthulhu as 'top dog' of the cosmos. Carefully reading Lovecraft's fiction we find that if anything Nyarlathotep is at a higher place in HPL'S cosmic mythology. Nyarlathotep's presence being briefly sited in some stories along with the name Cthulhu has been a real hurdle to explain away for those who want to keep the "Squid/Dragon" as the ultimate focus of the popular Lovecraftian genera. (Exhibit 439)

#lovecraft #nyarlathotep #great cthulhu

[arcane-abomination]

I was hesitant to share this but the entities I work with assure me that some people can benefit from reading it. Even if that benefit is pure inspiration, I think it’s worth having.

What’s a Magick Circle

Simply put, a magick circle is a casting of energy that readies a space for additional Magickal workings. Most of the time this has to do with calling forth the necessary energies you will use to empower the magick itself, like the elements for insurance, while also setting up a protective ward that banishes unwanted energy from the outside from taking effect.

Now it’s important to remember that you don’t need a magick circle to do Witchcraft but it does help. A magick circle is a powerful tool. Just as a pencil is a tool to write down a novel but a computer is a more efficient one. In this blog I will talk about the many ways to which I personally open my circle. I won’t give out my exact method word for word but I will explain the constructions of what I cast

Simple Circle

My most simplest of circles doesn’t call any energy but my own. It’s as quick as waving my wand or atheme in a clockwise motion and declaring it open, then doing the same in a counterclockwise motion and declaring it closed. The simplest of spells gets this treatment, if at all.

Complex Circle

This is my primary circle. The one I put lots of stock and time into developing. It’s not that quick to open nor is it restricted to the simplicities of traditional elements. It’s made up of not one but 4 definitive casts. Every cast has a certain number of elemental pieces within it. Each one of which maintaining a corresponding entity associated with its respective energy. Calling these entities as a power source for each individual element in this way, creates a special fortitude that empowers and strengthens my space.

(Some of the names in this list may not be recognizable to many of you. This is because these are either self made godforms, or entities from realms outside our own.)

The Outer Circle

The first piece, is the outer circle, the core energy that resonates as the building blocks for the others. It’s represented by Life, Death, Chaos & Order. The stepping stones that are reflect in all things, and are the first step in the creation of all additional energy within my practice. They are represented by the following:

⚜️ Life: Florentine

⚜️ Death: Necros

⚜️ Chaos: Yog Sothoth

⚜️ Order: Azazel

The Upper Realm

This is the top of the subsequent, “second circle” and is a reflection of the finer building blocks within energies. They are the weapons and tools that carve out the finer details of the circle that’s cast. These elements are:

⚜️ Spirit: Hör’hem

⚜️ Void: Creator Azathoth

⚜️ Light: Lilith

⚜️ Darkness: Mi’Taal

The Lower Realm

This is the bottom of the “second circle” and is reflected in traditional energy as it’s built, broken down, and reformed. These elements are represented by the following entities:

⚜️ Earth: Shub Niggurath

⚜️ Air: Loki

⚜️ Fire: Hecate

⚜️ Water: Leviathan

The Inner Circle

This is arguably the most important circle. These Entities are my spirit council/court. Guides that have been with me for a long time. Trusted partners that aid me in all that I do. I will not share their names here but they represent my familiar, my void guide, my shamanic guide, and my dragon guide. Each functions in its own special way guiding the energies to a much deeper involvement within the space.

(I also place these guys as guardians of the four directions.)

I realize this list may be extensive or even excessive to some, but I put great importance on every entity I allot to work alongside me. We communicate and form our own rules and reasoning around what elements they empower and why. Reasoning that I will not be discuss here, as it relates to some more personal parts of my practice that I would like to keep private, but I digress.

As for the overall method of casting, energy and the corresponding entities are called in turn by word of mouth as my grimoire is opened to a symbolic seal drawn within its pages. A seal that contains special sigils and other alchemical symbols within it. What exactly I say and what exactly this seal looks like are not something I’m going to share entirely online. As the complexities of this ritual and the symbols I use are a private function that only those gathered in the sacred space are privy to. It’s sacred to me and my practice, and signifies the bond I share with the otherworldly forces that I connect with.

Most of the time I need nothing but my grimoire to cast my circle, since every symbol upon the seal is charged as a vessel in of itself. But on occasion I may use certain selected stones or icons as needed.

This is a very rudimentary version of my circle just to give you an idea of how it works from a visual standpoint. Feel free to use this guide to make your own if you so desire.

In Conclusion

I hope this blog peeked your interest a little in the art of the Magickal circle. I’m aware that my method may be complicated and more unique but it’s what works for me. I found the rift that i I ride and you all should do the same. There’s no clear wrong way to develop a circle. Follow what works for you.

#paganism #witchcraft #pagans of tumblr #chaos magician #chaos magick #eldritch magic #witches of tumblr #yog sothothery #death witch #leviathan #lord leviathan #lilith #loki #yog sothoth #shub niggurath #azathoth #azazel #hecate

[specterthief]

hi! headset anon back again, really like the idea that cendrillon is a product of maruki's palace / corrupted by him in some way.

thinking about it, Cendri's whole aesthetic is weirdly maruki- like compared to Vanadis who seems to fit sumi's colors a lot more, Cendrillon is white and iridescent in certain parts, and of course has the azathoth eyes and headset. no idea what this means for Ella but

really wish atlas did more with that but I'm chewing this idea now

cendrillon also has black skin with blue patterns on her arms, almost reminiscent of azathoth's hands... it would have been such cool foreshadowing if they'd actually made them the same patterns, but alas

ella has the same heart pattern on her veil as is on cendrillon's cape and the throne, but at least in the final release of the game*, there's not much still tying her to the aesthetic of the palace (which would make sense for her being sumi's final awakening, when she's free.)

there are white flowers all over the palace that most closely resemble stephanotis flowers, which are also known as "bridal veil":

but ella's flowers, while also white, are very clearly lilies instead, probably madonna lilies:

which are associated with the virgin mary, and maria is the ultimate persona of sumi's faith arcana, so that's a nice story/gameplay connection with her confidant.

(*i specify "in the final release of the game" because palace ruler maruki was originally dressed as a groom, which may have related to the wedding flowers in the palace:

...but whether the groom/bride thing between that and ella's design was ever an intentional correlation in some iteration of the story or just really unfortunate implications done accidentally is impossible to determine from the bits of early content left behind. his design was changed at the last minute to the final lab coat design either way, so it's not really relevant in trying to dissect ella's design as it relates to the final story, but since this design was still used so late in development i felt like i couldn't brush over it completely either.)

#answered #fandom: persona #third semester brainrot

[redacted-metallum]

gimme, a person who knows fuck all about chuthulu lore, the rundown on chthulu lore

BASIC RUNDOWN for IN-UNIVERSE CTHULHU MYTHOS LORE:

Azathoth is like the demiurge. Our reality is his dream, and he's not really even aware that if he wakes up our reality will end. Referred to as the blind idiot god.

Shub-Naggath is . . . ? She's the black goat of the woods with a thousand young. We don't get much in lore about her other than she's supposedly the most widely worshiped entity. She's got kids that are trees sometimes, those are called Dark Young.

Yog-Sothoth is the Key and the Gate, Gatekeeper and Guardian. Appears as a bunch of bubbles. He had kids with a human woman once. Another time invoking him brought a dude back from the dead (and then yote him back to the dead). Also just sort of there.

Nyarlathotep is the Crawling Chaos and he's the Messenger and Soul of the Outer Gods (Az, Shub, Yog, and himself). Don't know what him being the soul means. He feels the most human of all of the entities because he's really just here for a laff. Really just kind of does whatever. Has "A Thousand" forms, that get called "masks" a lot because some nerds wrote a tabletop game like 80 years after Lovecraft's death and it was so influential one of the forms they designed is usually the top result when you google "Nyarlathotep"

If you go with one specific writer, the Outer Gods had a fight with the Great Old Ones as some sort of big good vs evil thing. But most people HATE that specific writer and ignore that. I like them having a fight but I like it when it only looks big and epic from a human perspective, and from their perspective it's a dumb petty slap fight.

Cthulhu is the big squid guy. You know who he is, he's the most popular and famous. He's napping under the ocean in a non euclidean city called R'Lyeh. He calls people sometimes. People need to start drawing him fat with no abs again or I start killing hostages.

Dagon is a big fisy. So is Hydra. Those two are the gods of the deep ones, who are fish people.

[checks notes] there's so fucking many of these guys. Other beasties are Hastur (the king in yellow, who requires a whole post to himself), Yhoundeh, Atlach-Nacha, Tsathouggua, Gla'aki, Y'golonac, Ithaqua (who requires SO much reworking for "cultural appropriation" reasons, of the "hey the Aashinabe people say you shouldn't say that spirit's name, Ever, and also not use it if you're not Aashinabe" variety), Cthugha, and fuckin uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Yig

There's Shoggoths, who Lovecraft tried to get us to be afraid of, but I love dearly. They unionized and killed the elder things, who were enslaving them.

There's the Yith, who I also love dearly despite them being essentially space eugenicists who steal people from time to record information. They are, as a rule, incredibly shape.

There are the Mi-Go who are space bugs and also fungus. They stole a guy's brain one time. A couple of times actually. If your friend in vermont suddenly starts typing his letters to you and is like "NO YEAH COME TO VERMONT ITS FINE ALSO BRING ALL YOUR NOTES AND DON'T TELL ANYONE" don't???? go there??????? WILMARTH.

The Necronomicon comes from this whole thing as well. Book full of Secrets.

And all of this was written by some dead white guys who exchanged letters and ran the ring from "ehhh it was the 20s and 30s they did their best" to "holy fucking shit dude" levels of racism.

#cthulhu mythos #revs thoughts #answered