#Princes in Connecticut

[idkaguyorsomething]

reading through mark twain’s catalogue of books will be like:

social stratification is so extreme that society will treat functionally identical people in opposite ways for merely believing that they have different origins, forcing them to either be crushed by or perpetuate the unjust system of government that began this whole situation.

even the most brilliant innovator who fights tirelessly to improve the rights of the people will face pushback from bigots resisting any kind of threat to their power that can manipulate the masses into giving up their rights in order to preserve the status quo.

local rascal plays a prank on his neighbors and starts a pirate club :D

discrimination and violence is baked so deeply into the foundations of society that children wanting to do the right thing will believe they are condemning themselves to hell by defying authority in favor of viewing oppressed minorities as humans deserving of rights.

#all of these are supposedly comedies #the same kind of comedy as jojo rabbit #samuel clements wasn’t fucking around with the social commentary #mark twain #the prince and the pauper #a connecticut yankee in king arthur's court #the adventures of tom sawyer #fucking tom sawyer #holding up the plot of huckleberry finn with his antics #let us get back to the plot you little brat #you already had a whole book to yourself #stop holding the story hostage fucker #i wanna see more of the bond between huck and jim #the adventures of huckleberry finn #huckleberry finn

[goalhofer]

2022-23 Philadelphia Flyers Roster

Wingers

#11 Travis Konecny (West Elgin Township, Ontario)

#17 Zack MacEwen (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island)

#20 Kieffer Bellows (Edina, Minnesota)*

#25 James Van Riemsdyk (Middletown Township, New Jersey)

#44 Nicolas Deslauriers (Montreal, Quebec)*

#46 Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minnesota)**

#49 Noah Cates (Stillwater, Minnesota)**

#57 Wade Allison (Dufferin Municipality, Manitoba)**

#74 Owen Tippett (Peterborough, Ontario)

#86 Joel Farabee (Cicero, New York)

#89 Cam Atkinson (Greenwich, Connecticut)

Centers

#13 Kevin Hayes (Boston, Massachusetts) A

#14 Sean Couturier (Bathurst, New Brunswick) A

#21 Scott Laughton (Oakville, Ontario) A

#23 Lukáš Sedlák (České Budějovice, Czech Republic)*

#38 Patrick Brown (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)

#48 Morgan Frost (Aurora, Ontario)

#58 Tanner Laczynski (Troy Township, Illinois)**

#71 Max Willman (Barnstable, Massachusetts)

Defensemen

#6 Travis Sanheim (Wallace-Woodworth Municipality, Manitoba)

#9 Ivan Provorov (Yaroslavl, Russia)

#24 Nick Seeler (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)

#54 Yegor Zamula (Chelyabinsk, Russia)**

#55 Rasmus Ristolainen (Turku, Finland)

#61 Justin Braun (White Bear Lake, Minnesota)

#77 Tony DeAngelo (Mantua Township, New Jersey)*

#94 Ryan Ellis (Hamilton, Ontario)

Goalies

#32 Per Sandström (Gävle, Sweden)**

#79 Carter Hart (Sherwood Park, Alberta)

#Sports #Hockey #Hockey Goalies #NHL #Philadelphia Flyers #Celebrities #Canada #Manitoba #Connecticut #Minnesota #Michigan #New Brunswick #New Jersey #Quebec #Ontario #Alberta #Massachusetts #Illinois #Prince Edward Island #Russia #Finland #Sweden #Czech Republic

[sassmill]

It’s so unfair that Sam Clemens lived before historybounding was a thing because it is so painfully clear to me that he would’ve been all in for Renaissance clothing, purely based on how much language he devoted to describing raiment of both high and low. I just want to take him to a ren faire. Give him a little Turkey leg. Slam some mead. Watch a sword fight.

#literally imagine mark twain at a ren faire he would be so happy #anyway I just finished the prince and the pauper #and I ordered a perusal copy of dpg’s stage adaptation of a Connecticut yankee #for possible fundraising purposes #papa #mark twain

[uwmspeccoll]

Wood Engraving Wednesday

Czech-American wood engraver, illustrator, and type designer, Rudolph Ruzicka, illustrated this edition of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince and Other Tales with seven color wood engravings and a wood-engraved cover pattern for the Overbrook Press in Stamford, Connecticut, in an edition of 250 copies. The entire edition was also designed by Ruzicka a year after being awarded the Gold Medal from the American Institute of Graphic Arts and joining the staff of the Mergenthaler Linotype Company as a type designer and consultant. He would go on to design several typeface families for Linotype.

Our copy is another donation from the estate of Dennis Bayuzick.

View more posts with work by Rudolph Ruzicka.

View other books from the collection of Dennis Bayuzick.

View more posts with wood engravings!

#Wood Engraving Wednesday #wood engravings #wood engravers #Rudolph Ruzicka #Oscar Wilde #The Happy Prince and Other Tales #The Happy Prince #Overbrook Press #color wood engravings #Dennis Bayuzick

[jmagnabo92]

Funny Moments of Others with First Prince

Here's a list (in no particular order of funny moments of others with regards to First Prince):

Cash opening the door of the supply closet: "This looks Cozy" - "Yep, we're really Bonding."

Bromance Alerts - Comment "OMFG, Make Out Already."

Luns: "Instead, let's talk about your little European vacation. Can I expect a joint Christmas present from you and the Prince this year." Alex avoids it, later, "Okay, okay. He's a looker, huh?" "Yeah, I mean, if you're into, like, fairy tail princes." "Is anyone not?" "I'm not." "Right."

Alex calls on Christmas. Apologizes and goes to hang up. Henry: "Alex, Christ. It's fine. It's half two here, everyone's gone to bed. Except Bea. Say hi, Bea. "Hi Alex! Henry's got his candy-cane Jim-jams on -" "That's quite enough."

Later, June: "Oh my god, Alex, you made a friend!" ... "I'm so proud of you." "... He's not my friend..." ... "Nope. Tell me everything about your new best friend, who a royal. That's so bougie of you. Who would have guessed it? Omg this is like all those romantic comedies where the girl hires a male escort to pretend to be her wedding date and then falls in love with him for real." "That is not at all what this is like."

June's reaction to the Polo Match: "I'm sorry, Zahra said you're bailing on the fund-raiser this weekend because you're going to a polo match in Connecticut?" "Listen, I'm trying to keep up a geopolitical public relations ruse here." "Dude, people are writing fan fiction about ya'll -" "Yeah, Nora sent me that." " - I think you can give it a rest." "The Crown wants me there!" (in his thoughts, Alex notes a look that he should be concerned about if he wasn't thinking about Henry's mouth.

At the match. Amy: "I don't like that look. You look... sweaty." "I'm gonna go, uh, say hi to Henry." "Please don't elaborate." "Yeah, I know. Plausible deniability." "I don't know what you possibly mean." "Sure. Yep." "Enjoy your summit with the English delegation."

Zahra sends him a link to the "Best Bromance Ever" and writing "Good work, you little shit." Oh, Zahra, if only you knew.

Alex's Hickey. Zahra: "Is that a Hickey?" "I... um, no?" "Do I look stupid to you, Alex? Who is giving you hickeys and why have you not gotten them to sign an NDA." "OMG, if I needed an NDA, you would know. Chill." Zahra does not appreciate being told to Chill and goes onto threaten him.

Pez answering Alex's phone call to Henry. "Alexander, babes. How lovely for you to give your auntie Pezza a ring on this magnificent Sunday Morning." "Hi Pez, where are y'all?" "We are out for a drive, taking in the scenery of Carmarthenshire. Say Good Morning to your strumpet, Henry." "Good Morning, strumpet. What's got you up at four in the morning this time?" ... later, Alex gets Henry to say the name of where he's staying and Pez says, "I was hoping you two would start talking dirty, please do go on."

There's more but this is long. This book is just so funny.

#RWRB #Red white and royal blue book #red white and royal blue #alex claremont diaz #hrh prince henry #first prince #june claremont diaz #princess beatrice #Pez #Zahra #Cash #Amy Chen

[haveyouseenthishorrormovie]

Stats from Movies 401-500

Top 10 Movies - Highest Number of Votes

The Platform (2019) had the most votes with 1,912 votes. Sauna (2008) had the least votes with 546 votes.

The 10 Most Watched Films by Percentage

Zombieland (2009) was the most watched film with 69.3% of voters out of 858 saying they had seen it.

The 10 Least Watched Films by Percentage

Slender Man (2018) was the least watched film with 71.9% of voters out of 1,354 saying they hadn’t seen it.

The 10 Most Known Films by Percentage

American Psycho (2000) was the best known film, only 1% of voters out of 1,171 saying they’d never heard of it.

The 10 Least Known Films by Percentage

Beaten to Death (2022) was the least known film, 92,86% of voters out of 658 saying they’d never heard of it.

The movies part of the statistic count and their polls below the cut.

Prey (2022) M3GAN (2022) Caveat (2020) Patchwork (2015) All Cheerleaders Die (2013) The Final (2010) Disturbing Behavior (1998) The Gate (1987) Sssssss (1973) Xtro (1982)

Body Melt (1993) Mr. Sardonicus (1961) The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) Eating Raoul (1982) Peeping Tom (1960) Night of the Scarecrow (1995) Bad Milo! (2013) Patrick (1978) Beaten to Death (2022) Lovely Molly (2011)

The Passenger (2023) Rent-A-Pal (2020) The Cell (2000) Faust: Love of the Damned (2000) The Children (2008) Prince of Darkness (1987) Escape Room (2019) Eraserhead (1977) Incubus (1966) Blacula (1972)

I Drink Your Blood (1971) Dementia (1955) Hollow Man (2000) Thir13en Ghosts (2001) The Endless (2017) Bite (2015) Idle Hands (1999) Undead (2003) At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul (1964) Daddy's Girl (2018)

Bad Boy Bubby (1993) Warm Bodies (2013) Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) The Haunting in Connecticut (2009) The Stepford Wives (2004) Fright Night (2011) The Witches (1990) The Hills Have Eyes (2006) Cat People (1942) AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

King Kong (1933) The Happening (2008) Blade (1998) Blade II (2002) Blade: Trinity (2004) Bone Tomahawk (2015) Resident Evil (2002) Don't Look Now (1973) I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) What Lies Beneath (2000)

Sauna (2008) The Orphanage (2007) Eight Legged Freaks (2002) The Windmill Massacre (2016) Antlers (2021) Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018) Dark Signal (2016) When Evil Lurks (2023) Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022) Halloween (2018)

Halloween Kills (2021) Halloween Ends (2022) Smile (2022) Orphan (2009) Orphan: First Kill (2022) Fresh (2022) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) White Noise (2005) The Platform (2019) In the Tall Grass (2019)

Slender Man (2018) It Chapter Two (2019) Annabelle (2014) The Conjuring (2013) The Nun (2018) Urban Legend (1998) Bones and All (2022) Deep Rising (1998) Black Friday (2021) Werewolf By Night (2022)

Deathgasm (2015) Slither (2006) American Psycho (2000) Friday the 13th (2009) Revenge (2017) Host (2020) A Bay of Blood (1971) Black Christmas (2019) Zombieland (2009) Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)

#recap

[freshwolfhell]

More of the Disney prince Kent of Connecticut

#wttt #welcome to the table #my doodles

[eclipseaotters]

I really just can’t contain myself and I just have to let this out.

Don’t you think it’s amazing that the ONLY two K-soloists that have topped the Billboard Hot 100 are dating?

I really can’t contain my head around it. We’ve given them a lot of nicknames to celebrate how they’re a power couple—ace duo, Busan’s pride/princes/kings, main pop boy and it boy. Usually, it comes up when they, as a unit, are highlighted in front of everyone. For instance:

My absolute favorite: Black Swan Jikook

The Flying Yoga Run BTS episode

Topping Brand Reputation rankings as #1 and #2

Topping the charts as #1 and #2

I always feel a great amount of pride when stuff like this happens. It reinforces what an actual power couple they are. But god, this Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 achievement takes it to the next level.

I’ve seen dozens of posts and tweets today celebrating not just Jungkook, but Jimin too. And I know, I know, we’ve never really needed all that external validation, but it FEELS SO NICE, doesn’t it? To see non-Jikookers, non-fans, the media just keep repeating how Jimin and Jungkook are the only Korean soloists who’ve reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Do you see how hot this is?

And—at least for us over here—they just happen to date each other? Do you see how fucking special that is? It’s one thing for Koreans to celebrate two Korean idols topping the Hot 100. It’s another thing for ARMYs to celebrate two idols belonging in BTS topping the Hot 100. It’s another thing for Busan residents to celebrate two idols from their city topping the Hot 100.

It’s another thing for Jikookers to celebrate that 2/2 of their ship are the only two K-soloists that have topped the Billboard Hot 100.

And as if that’s not enough, Jimin just had to post Jungkook’s achievement on his IG. And Jimin’s dad just had to hold a surprise event today.

Jimin posting isn’t unlike the other posts he’s made for the members. That’s not a Jikook-only event. It’s the fact that BB Hot 100 No. 1 Artist Park Jimin posted about BB Hot 100 No. 1 Artist Jungkook. Doesn’t that give you goosebumps? It’s worth reporting!

I know it looks like I’m inflating Billboard Hot 100 a little too much. But we know something like this means a lot to them. And I definitely think it means a lot more that both of them achieved it.

Imagine them just casually saying good night to each other last night, while cuddling.

“Good night, No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 artist.”

“Good night to you too, No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 artist.”

Because they are.

And all we can do is imagine, because obviously, that’s not the kind of thing they’d share with us. And that’s the best part, you know? They get to be in their bubble and celebrate by themselves, the way they were in their bubble in NYC/CT.

Except now they’re two No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 artists. And they’re probably just eating cake or boxing or doing something familiar—and normal—together right now. They’ll celebrate, and then they’ll just be.

We can all argue our asses off here. And they won’t care. And their akgaes and antis can keep blaming either half of Jikook for sabotage or favoritism, and Jikook won’t care.

[I do believe Jimin was wronged in the grand scheme of things, but Jeon “You know I’m-hyung’s fan” Jungkook is NOT to be blamed.]

Jikook will be in their protective bubble, doing their own thing the way they did in Tokyo, in NYC, in Connecticut, the way they always do in Korea. It’s a BTS thing and a Jikook thing.

They don’t owe us photo dumps, and GCFs, and lives, and Weverse posts, and confirmations of relationships.

It reminds me of AO3 writer unconscious’ description of Jikook in her canon compliant Taemin/Kai fic “this love isn’t crazy” (yeah, it’s not Jikook-centric, and I’m not even a Taekai shipper nor a stan of either, but the description stuck with me).

Here’s an excerpt, from Taemin’s POV:

“Bye, Yoongi,” Jeongguk says. He walks backward, tugging Jimin along, and offers Taemin a small smile over Jimin’s head. “Bye, Taemin-hyung.”

There’s an ease to the way they touch each other: familiarity and laughter as Jeongguk wrestles a bedroom door open with his back to it and falls inside with Jimin nearly on top of him.

Taemin’s not that much older than them, really, but watching them he suddenly he feels older. It’s a deep ache, affection and longing and something else—something in between nostalgia and envy. Was this something he could’ve had? (He said no.) It seems impossible. What Jeongguk and Jimin have is bottled lightning, like everything else Bangtan touches: impossibly lucky, impossibly successful. It depends on that strange insularity Bangtan survives in. They’re in their own world, most of the time, working endlessly but also detached from the larger industry; they have a defensive bubble around them, so their personal defenses aren’t so severe.

Not to discredit BTS or Jikook, but I do think there’s a level of luck that played into it all at the start. Or fate. Maybe they were all fated to meet, but they definitely worked hard to get results consistently.

But maybe, as in Serendipity, all this is no coincidence? I mean, this one gave me goosebumps.

As if it isn’t crazy enough that Hirai Saya looks so much like Jungkook, she just had to be born on the exact same day and year as Jimin? What?

I don’t know where I’m getting at. I just have so much love for Jikook and so much pride for what they’ve achieved on their own and together.

I cannot believe I just went from Billboard Hot 100 to Hirai Saya. Anyway, stream Seven and Like Crazy!

#jikook #billboard hot 100 no. 1 artist has given a hickey to billboard hot 100 no. 1 artist #can u believe that

[justsomeguypoll]

JUST SOME GUY: ROUND 1

Connecticut Clark (Flork of Cows) vs. Molly Grue (The Last Unicorn)

Reasons provided for Connecticut Clark:

his ENTIRE thing is that he's just some normal guy

its his entire reason for existing

3rd happiest man in Connecticut wym?

Reasons provided for Molly Grue:

Molly is the camp cook for a bunch of outlaws, she's a normal person surrounded by a bumbling magician, a unicorn, a king, and a prince.

There is nothing special about her. She is in a wonderful fantasy setting, friends with a wizard and a unicorn, and she is just Molly. Not young, not pretty, not magical or talented. She just is.

#connecticut clark #molly grue #flork of cows #the last unicorn #just some guy poll #round one #tumblr tournament

[homomenhommes]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … May 4

1497 – A revolt against religious leader Savanarola in Florence, who had been a leader against sodomy, leads one man to say, "Thank God, now we can sodomize again."

1889 – Francis, Cardinal Spellman, Roman Catholic Cardinal, born (d.1967); Francis Cardinal Spellman, the late Prince of the Church known as "Franny" to assorted Broadway chorus boys and others, was New York's archbishop from 1939 until his death in 1967.

He, in many ways, is almost single-handedly responsible for ushering in the American Catholic Church's more punitive, authoritarian stances and reactions to the sexual revolution, feminism and Gay rights.

Gore Vidal has long alluded to Spellman's, homosexuality, once commenting that, "the serious crimes of Spellman were not sexual", implying of course that the most serious crime was the arrogant and reckless hypocrisy.

The original bound galleys of former Wall Street Journal reporter John Cooney's Spellman biography, The American Pope - published in 1984 by Times Books, which was then owned by The New York Times Company - included four pages on Spellman's homosexuality. In a hideous example of the church's power and The New York Times' fears in those days, these pages were removed.

"In New York's clerical circles, Spellman's sex life was a source of profound embarrassment and shame to many priests," Cooney had written in the original manuscript of his book. The archdiocese exploded after it got wind of the information, and became determined to stop it from being published.

Cooney had included interviews with several notable individuals who knew Spellman as a closeted homosexual. Among Cooney's interview subjects was C.A. Tripp, the noted researcher affiliated with Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey of the Institute for Sex Research and author of the controversial book published recently, The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln, which brought forth evidence of the former president's same sex relationships.

Tripp, who died in May of 2003 gave a telephone interview to Michelangelo Signorile a year before his death. Tripp told Signorile that his information about Spellman came from a Broadway dancer in the show One Touch of Venus who had a relationship with Spellman back in the 1940s; the prelate would have his limousine pick up the dancer several nights a week and bring him back to his place. Tripp related that when the dancer once asked Spellman how he could get away with this, Spellman answered, "Who would believe that?" The anecdote is also recounted in John Loughery's history of Gay life in the 20th century, The Other Side of Silence.

Signorile describes Spellman as "one of the most notorious, powerful and sexually voracious homosexuals in the American Catholic Church's history"

Biographer of J. Edgar Hoover, Curt Gentry, says that Hoover's files had "numerous allegations that Spellman was a very active homosexual".

1907 – Lincoln Kirstein (d.1996) was an American writer, impresario, art connoisseur, and cultural figure in New York City, famous less for his own artistic achievement than for his social influence. Born in Rochester, New York, to a very wealthy Bostonian family, he was educated at Harvard, from which he graduated in 1930.

His interest in ballet and George Balanchine started when he had seen Apollo with the Ballet Russes. He became determined to get Balanchine to America. Together with Edward M. M. Warburg (a classmate from Harvard), they started the School of American Ballet in Hartford, Connecticut, in October 1933. The studio moved to New York City in 1934. Warburg's father invited the group of students from the evening class to perform at a private party. The ballet they did was Serenade, the first major ballet choreographed by Balanchine in America. Just months later Kirstein and Warburg founded, together with Balanchine and Dimitriev, The American Ballet.

During World War 2 Kirstein joined the Army and served in Europe. He worked with the division of Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives, helping to recover stolen artwork from the Nazis.

The American Ballet would become the resident company of the Metropolitan Opera, but this proved unsatisfactory because the Opera would not allow Balanchine and Kirstein artistic freedom. In 1946, Balanchine and Kirstein founded the Ballet Society, renamed the New York City Ballet in 1948. Together they made this one of the most innovative dance companies in the world.

His eclectic interests, ambition and keen interest in high culture, funded by independent means drew a large circle of friends which would stimulate creativity in many of the arts. These included: Glenway Wescott, Monroe Wheeler, George Platt Lynes, Pavel Tchelitchev, Katherine Anne Porter, Gertrude Stein, Cecil Beaton, Jean Cocteau, Jared French, George Tooker and far too many more to name.

Kirstein kept diaries beginning in summer camp in 1919 until the late 1930's, and Martin Duberman's 2007 biography The Worlds of Lincoln Kirstein makes use of them and numerous letters. Kirstein enjoyed sex with men—Harvard undergraduates, sailors, street boys, casual encounters in the showers at the 63rd St YMCA. Longer affairs are described with dancer Pete Martinez, artist Dan Maloney, and conservator Jensen Yow among others, as well as relationships that were physically unrealized. Casual sex frequently grew into long-term friendship.

He also slept with women and in 1941 married Fidelma Cadmus, the sister of the artist Paul Cadmus – some say because he was in love with her brother. He and his wife enjoyed an amicable if not stressful relationship until her death in 1991. Some of his boyfriends lived with them in their East 19th Street house; "Fidelma was enormously fond of most of them." The New York art world considered his bisexuality an "open secret," although he did not publicly acknowledge his sexual orientation until 1982.

He was the primary patron of Cadmus and purchased many of his paintings and subsidised his living expenses. Cadmus had difficulty selling his work through galleries because of the erotically charged depictions of working and middle class men, which provoked great controversy.

Kirstein commissioned and helped to fund the physical home of the New York City Ballet: the New York State Theater building at Lincoln Center, designed in 1964 by gay architect Philip Johnson. Despite its conservative modernist exterior, the glittery red and gold interior recalls the imaginative and lavish backdrops of the Ballets Russes. He would serve as the general director of the ballet company from 1948 to 1989.

Kirstein and Balachine's collaboration lasted until Balanchine's death in 1983.

1944 – Dave is the stage name of Wouter Otto Levenbach, a Francophone singer from the Netherlands who had a string of number one hits in France in the 1970s. Despite his great success, he is still virtually unknown in his country of origin.

Dave was born in England. At 16, he became a very spiritual person and even planned to study theology; however, he eventually chose to study law.

Among other things, he was inspired by Jack Kerouac's On the Road , a revolutionary novel which incited the young people of the world to leave to learn the life on the roads, and to communicate with others. Passionate about the sea and rivers (a love which he owes to his grandfather), he left the Netherlands by boat with 1,000 guilders in his pocket (about two months' living expenses).

He met Eddie Barclay, the executive for Barclay Records, in Saint-Tropez in 1968; Barclay was responsible for launching Dave's career in show business.

On February 26, 1969, he participated in the Nationaal Songfestival, the Dutch pre-selection contest for that year's Eurovision Song Contest with a song called Niets gaat zo snel, but did not win. In Summer 1969 he reached the Veronica Top 40 charts for the first time with Nathalie, peaking at #28.

From 1971 to 1974, he was one of the actors in the musical Godspell, making friends with actor Daniel Auteuil, who would become his best friend.In 1974, he released Trop Beau, a French adaptation of The Rubettes' hit Sugar Baby Love; later, he released Vanina, an adaptation of Del Shannon's Runaway, adapted into French by Patrick Loiseau. These were followed in 1975 by Mon cœur est malade, Dansez maintenant and Du côté de chez Swann. His self-titled first album was released at the end of 1975. His later hits included Lettre à Hélène (1978), Comment ne pas être amoureux de vous (1978), and his first number one single, Allo Elisa (1979).

In the 1980s, his popularity waned following the advent of FM radio in France. He still had an audience due to live performances and his classic hits. In 1994, he made a comeback following the release of a greatest hits album, which sold more than 200,000 copies. He later recorded a new album entitled Toujours le même bleu, which included a title single from which enabled him to hit the charts once again. It is also around this time that Dave revealed himself as a homosexual.

In 2003, he released another autobiographical book, Soit dit en passant... mes années paillettes, which dealt with his life as a showbiz celebrity in the 1970s. The book also revealed Dave's homosexual relationship with his lyricist and companion Patrick Loiseau for more than thirty years. Patrick also contributed to the book to share his version of the events.

In 2006, he released a new album under the name of "Dave Levenbach", Tout le plaisir a été pour moi.

1952 – Antony Hamilton (d.1995), English-Austrlain actor/model, born in Liverpool, England, but adopted by an Australian military man and his wife and raised in Adelaide, Australia, where he studied ballet and toured with the Australian Ballet Company before moving into modelling.

In 1972, during a dance tour in Europe with The Australian Ballet, he was "discovered" by a fashion photographer. This resulted in Hamilton soon after leaving the ballet and moving to the USA to pursue a career as a model. During the following 10 years, he worked extensively as a model in Europe, America, Asia and Africa, becoming a favorite subject of world-famous photographers as Richard Avedon and Bruce Weber, often working with famous fashion designers such as Gianni Versace, and frequently appearing in magazines such as Vogue and GQ.

After having worked for a while as a model, Hamilton also began taking acting classes, wanting to expand his career. He eventually got his big break as an actor (replacing Jon-Erik Hexum who died in an accident on the set) in the American TV-series Cover Up (1984). As Hexum was an acting school classmate of Hamilton's, the actor hesitated to profit by Hexum's death, but eventually agreed to take the role. As an actor, however, he is probably better known for the role of Impossible Missions Force agent Max Harte, a former ANZAC commando, in the 1988 revival of the American television series Mission: Impossible, as well as for playing Samson in the 1984 television film Samson and Delilah.

He was briefly considered by Cubby Broccoli as a successor to Roger Moore as James Bond. According to some reports, Broccoli decided against a blond Bond; in other reports, it was agreed by both Hamilton and Broccoli that Hamilton's known homosexuality would work against him in the role. He continued to work in film and TV, notably the revived Mission Impossible and The Howling IV, until his death in March, 1995 from an AIDS-related illness. His family requested that contributions be made in his name to AIDS Project Los Angeles.

1958 – Pop-artist, muralist and graffiti genius Keith Haring, born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Haring studied graphic art in Pittsburg (d.1990). After coming out, he moved to New York where he became influenced by graffiti art. With his distinctive style, he quickly moved from the streets to international art galleries. His work is part of the iconography of the 1980s.

Sexuality was a predominant theme throughout Haring's work. Through much of his art there are scenes of penetration, in a bodily and sexual sense. These scenes are often filled with monsters, skeletons and beasts, which almost always add a nightmarish feeling to the work. Rather than being something positive or affirming, sexuality is almost always presented as threatening or silence. "Rape, sexual compulsion and castration are the fundamental forms in which individual self-determination is forcibly prevented."

For Haring, sex was part of his work because it was part of his life. "It's inevitable that the subway drawings have it too because it's part of my life and part of the rest of the body of work," he said. Haring's perception of sex was later affected by constant fear as the threat of AIDS became apparent.

He was a tireless AIDS campaigner and, tragically, succumbed to the disease himself in 1990 at the age of 31. Shortly before he died, he established the Keith Haring Foundation to maintain and enhance his legacy of supporting children's and AIDS organizations.

As a celebration of his life, Madonna declared the first New York date of her Blond Ambition World Tour a benefit concert for Haring's memory, and donated all proceeds from her ticket sales to AIDS charities including AIDS Project Los Angeles and amfAR; the act was documented in her film Truth or Dare. Additionally, Haring's work was featured in several of Red Hot Organization's efforts to raise money for AIDS and AIDS awareness, specifically its first two albums, Red Hot + Blue and Red Hot + Dance, the latter of which used Haring's work on its cover.

1975 – Aleksandr Voinov is an emigrant German author living near London where he makes his living as an editor in the financial services sector. After many years working in the horror, science fiction, cyberpunk and fantasy genres, Voinov has set his sights now on contemporary and historical gay novels such as Dark Edge of Honour.

As a trained historian, Voinov is fascinated by wars, religion and the conflict between the individual and society. Voinov single-handedly sustains three bookshops in London.

Dark Edge of Honor, co-authored with Rhianon Etzweiler, won a 2011 Rainbow Award as Best Gay Sci-fi / Futuristic. Country Mouse, co-authored with Amy Lane, won a 2012 Rainbow Award as Best Bisexual Erotic Romance and Incursion won as Best Bisexual / Transgender Sci-fi/Fantasy and Best Bisexual / Transgender Novel. The two novellas If It Flies and If It Fornicates, co-authored with L.A. Witt, won a 2013 Rainbow Award as Best LGBT Erotica.

1979 – Lance Bass, American singer (N'Sync), born: American pop singer, actor, film and television producer, and author. He grew up in Mississippi and rose to fame as the bass singer for the American pop boy band 'N Sync. 'N Sync's success led Bass to experiment with film and television, primarily as an actor and a producer. Bass' acting career is most noted for his starring role in the 2001 film On The Line, which his company, Bacon & Eggs, also produced. Bass later formed a second production company, Lance Bass Productions, as well as a now-defunct music management company, Free.

In 2003, Bass began serving as World Space Week's Youth Spokesman. Bass has stated that he believes young people becoming more interested in space exploration "will help the future of our planet". From 2003 to 2005, Bass spent World Space Week traveling to American high schools speaking with students about space exploration and encouraging them to explore careers in the fields of science and mathematics. Bass is a member of the National Space Society, a non-profit educational space advocacy organization founded by Dr. Wernher Von Braun. Bass has served on the National Space Society's Board of Governors since October 2004, alongside other space advocates such as actor Tom Hanks and author and futurist Sir Arthur C. Clarke. In a 2007 interview with GQ magazine, Bass stated that he "absolutely" still intends on going to space, and that he hopes to work on a space documentary. Bass has also retained fluency in Russian, which he was required to learn during his training.

Bass came out as gay in a cover story for People magazine on July 26, 2006. There had been considerable media speculation about his orientation due to numerous paparazzi snapshots of him at gay bars and nightclubs, most notably during the preceding Independence Day weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton had also been posting items on his website about Bass's orientation since September 2005, and New York gossip column Page Six ran a blurb on July 12, 2006, that reported a sighting of Bass at a gay bar with his then-boyfriend, Reichen Lehmkuhl. Bass's publicist, Ken Sunshine, chose to release the story exclusively to People magazine, who bumped actor Johnny Depp off of that week's cover in favor of Bass. In his coming out interview, Bass stated,

"The thing is, I'm not ashamed - that's the one thing I want to say. I don't think it's wrong, I'm not devastated going through this. I'm more liberated and happy than I've been my whole life. I'm just happy."

Bass's announcement received a large amount of media attention. The American public's reaction was generally positive, with Bass receiving "overwhelming support" from many teenagers and young adults who grew up listening to 'N Sync. However, Bass received criticism from the LGBT community when he referred to himself and his friends as "straight acting" in his People interview, stating, "I call them the SAGs — the straight-acting gays. We're just normal, typical guys. I love to watch football and drink beer." This comment angered some members of the LGBT community, who believed that Bass not only implied that effeminate gay men were not 'normal', but further enforced unneeded stereotypes. In a 2007 interview with The Advocate, Bass called his comment a "mistake" and noted that he was unaware of the negative implications surrounding the term. Bass stated,

"Every community is hard to please. Our community is very fickle. It's a touchy community because it's the last civil rights movement we have left here in America. So when someone new like myself comes along and says off-the-mark things, yeah, I can see how people would get pissed."

In his autobiography, Bass documents two gay relationships that predated media speculation; one with a Miami, Florida, native named Jesse, with whom Bass lived for two years, and another with an Idaho native named Joe.

Bass found himself in the midst of further controversy later that year when he, along with then-boyfriend Reichen Lehmkuhl, was awarded the 2006 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award on October 7, 2006. The Washington Blade printed a guest editorial from a long-time HRC supporter who claimed that neither recipient had done enough to deserve the award and that The Human Rights Campaign was simply capitalizing on Bass's fame to sell tickets. The Human Rights Campaign stood by Bass and defended his award, responding to critics by saying,

"Bass is the biggest music star since Melissa Etheridge to come out, and maybe some people think HRC should just ignore these moments of cultural significance, but his declaration did initiate a positive, national conversation that continues today."

Bass began dating painter Michael Turchin in January 2011 and they became engaged in September 2013. They married on December 20, 2014 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Former NSYNC bandmates Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez were in attendance; Justin Timberlake, who was then headlining his The 20/20 Experience World Tour, was not present. The ceremonial event was filmed and televised in a special E! presentation: Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding that aired on February 5, 2015. Bass and Turchin were the first same-sex couple to exchange vows on cable television.

1993 – "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" opened on Broadway.

[1americanconservative]

@bennyjohnson

Elections in America are broken.

—In Virginia, the former General Registrar of Prince County is being prosecuted for altering the vote count in the 2020 election.

—In Massachusetts, a woman was caught on camera stealing ballots from citizen mailboxes to commit voter fraud.

—In Louisiana, a Sheriff’s election was won by only one single vote. The County Registrar reported that multiple dead people voted and multiple people voted twice, but the county voting system does not produce an auditable paper trail.

—In Pennsylvania, electronic voting software flipped votes in 2019 & 2023.

—In Iowa, a woman was convicted for running a voter fraud scheme in the 2020 primary and general election just last week.

—In Connecticut, a local election was overturned by a judge after a ballot stuffing scheme was exposed.

—In New Jersey, a man and his wife are charged with election fraud after stealing ballots, destroying ballots for their opponent, and then forging new ballots to change votes.

—In Michigan, at least 800,000 ballot applications were sent to non-qualified voters by a Democrat funded organization that facilitated voter fraud.

—In Arizona, a woman plead guilty for running a ballot collection fraud scheme for the 2020 primary. Election rigging and stealing is happening across the country.

It’s actually rather common. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.

[todaysdocument]

Statement of John Crosley, Son of Former Slave Prince Crosley Who Served in the Continental Army

Record Group 15: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs Series: Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service

I William Spencer of Lyme in the State of Connecticut aged 54 years on oath depose and say that I am a Grandson of Israel Spencer formerly of East Haddam deceased. My Grandfather was for many years a Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex as I have understood. At the time of his death his papers came into the hands of my father. Some years afterwards my father moved into the State of Mississipi and when he went away the most valuable of the old papers in his possession were handed on to me and the rest were destroyed. I have never been able to find among those that were left any record of marriages performed by my grandfather, and if there ever was any it was probably destroyed. I do not believe that there is anything of the kind now in existence. My father has died since his removal. I was acquainted with Prince Crosly before his death and also with his wife Caroline Crosley. Before his death they lived together as husband and wife and I have no doubt but that they were married by my grandfather as is represented by him. She has never been again married. Wm Spencer {State of Connecticut New London County} ss Lyme Sept 24 A.D. 1838 Personally appeared William Spencer signer of the foregoing deposition and before me made oath to the truth of his issue. And I further certify that the said deposant is personally known to me & that he is a credible witness. Richard E Selden Jr Justice of peace

#archivesgov #September 24 #1838 #19th century #american revolution

[warwickroyals]

Wikipedia Snippets (2/∞): Ruby

Transcript under the cut - HQ images [1] [2]

Ruby, Princess of Danforth, GCW, RGO, GSK, GCLII (born Ruby Dewitt Claypoole; April 13, 1916 - August 30, 2006), was a member of the Sunderlandian royal family. She was the wife of Prince George, Prince of Danforth, the eldest son of King George II and Queen Anne. Ruby was thus Princess of Danfroth from her marriage in 1939 until her husband’s assassination.

Ruby was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to Wall Street stockbroker Isadore Collins Claypoole and his socialite wife Gladys Cecile Dewitt. Ruby spent her early childhood divided between Manhattan and her maternal grandparents’ country estate in New Haven, Connecticut. Precocious by nature, Ruby was educated at Spence School in New York and later went on to study art history at Barnard College. While a student at Barnard, Ruby met her future husband at a dinner party in Manhattan. The following year, Ruby and George began a low-profile relationship during which she earned the affection of George‘s parents and siblings. George originally proposed to Ruby in 1936, but the couple didn’t announce their engagement until after Ruby graduated in 1938. The match was initially controversial in Sunderland for multiple reasons, mainly Ruby’s American nationality and her Jewish heritage. However, Ruby gradually endeared herself to the public with her intellect, love of children, and her interest in Sunderlandian history, culture and arts. Her fluency in foreign languages made her very popular abroad as well.

As Princess of Danforth, Ruby planned to accompany her husband on diplomatic tours to Europe, but these plans were halted following the outbreak of the Second World War. During the war, the prince and princess became vocal in their condemnation of Nazi Germany, with Ruby drawing the ire of Adolf Hitler on several occasions. Following the 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, George was instrumental in Sunderland revoking their formal neutrality and mobilizing against the Axis powers, but he was assassinated the following year by a member of the National Socialists Union of Sunderland.

Ruby and George had no children, and following George’s funeral Ruby withdrew from public view, taking up residence at Woodbine Castle. After the war, Ruby slowly reemerged in the public, becoming an avid photographer and globetrotter. The Princess Dowager as she was widely known, remained a popular figure, consistently carrying out public duties during the reign of King James II and later that of her nephew, Louis V. Ruby died in her sleep at the age of 90 on August 30, 2006, with her last public appearance being at the 4th birthday party of her grand-nephew, Prince Alexander of Danforth, two months prior.

#wikipedia series #warwick.extras #ch: ruby

[queer-ragnelle]

All light-hearted options this week! Several animated choices, musicals, and parodies. Perhaps only one film this time as it’s New Years Eve. Prince Valiant (1954) / Prince Valiant (1997) and Gawain and The Green Knight (1973) / Sword of The Valiant (1984) are first renditions / remakes. They’re essentially the same films twice, down to scripts, so they get one vote. If they win, we can pick an era after that.

#arthurian legend #Arthuriana #arthurian legends #arthurian mythology #polls #my post

[havendance]

Jumping off of @zahri-melitor to categorize all of my titles (which now that I'm sitting down to do this is a lot...) I've also included series titles in here because that also involves agonizing and I quite like a number of them (they'll be marked with an *) In no particular order:

Tongue in cheek titles where I’m trying to be funny

Batman for Dummies

Fatherhood for Dummies

So, the Dragon of the West walks into a bar…

You Can’t Spell Kuzon without Zuko

Brothers Have the Worst Timing

Robins Don’t Make Great Roommates

Robins are an Invasive Species*

Bus Buddies = Pilgrimage Buddies (?)

Nobody has a good day (but it gets better)

Non-Existent Extradition Treaties

Song Lyrics/Titles

Let the Sunshine in

MAD World

Slightly MAD

World Gone MAD

Desolation Row

Why you wanna fly, Blackbird?

You Will Live Forever

The Rhythm of the Night

do you like the person you’ve become?*

A Fleeting Dream

Other quotes/stealing other titles

The Prince Who Runs Through the Night 

Blood for Blood

The Kindly Ones

No Truce with the Furies*

Loved by the King [this is technically the name of a font I ran across in google docs while writing the fic and decided that it worked well enough as a title]

Misc Allusions/references

The King is Dead, Long Live the King

Thou Shalt Not Kill

See Spot Run

One Scar to Find Them

Stealing Fire from the Gods

Oedipus Regina

A Rose Bride by Any Other Name

Those who walk away from Ohtori

Let’s Steal a Fire Prince

Sing, oh Muse*

Truth, Justice, and Horde Politics*

Live Fast, Die Young

Emulating canon or other naming conventions:

Top 10 Secret Identity Fails

Remembering the End of an Era: Collected Media from the End of the Hundred Year’s War

The Fire Prince Job*

#Justice4Gotham

Turnabout Traitor!

One Word ‘What do you mean fics need metadata? I give up’ Titles:

Batgirl

Paris

Fathers

Madness

Orpheus

Homesick

Pretty Bird [This may be 2 words, but it belongs to this category in spirit]

Swords

Moirai

Titles that have been intensely brainstormed/Trying to be nice and thematic without a nice quote to steal

to fail, to fall, to fly away

Hot Girl Shit (The Feminine Urge to Die Young)

Neither Heir nor Spare (The Sole Survivor)

Red Threads and Distant Stars

Myosotis

Wild Seeds

Gotham: Hell on Earth

Man as a Living Weapon

Death: The Final Puzzle

Former Hopes and Future Scars

I just keep falling now that you’re gone

MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)*

End of the Line*

Disarmament*

What it says on the tin

Bat + Girl [This one also feels in the spirit of the one word category, but I feel like it's a little more clever than most of those]

The Peasant Queen of Nohr

A Princess of Hoshido and a Prince of Nohr

Reunion on Beast Island

The Last Stop

Nana Lives in Connecticut

Death of the Endless

On Death’s Door

Holly, Afterwards

Tough Guy & Tiny Girl

A Second Chance at Love

The Definitions of Us

Distant Soulmates*

How do I tell you?

The Distance Between Us

Looking for You

After the Storm

What it says on the tin (literal version)

Various Batman AUs

No Man’s Land Timeline

Kwami Swap Week

Drabbles*

#havendance writes #carthago delenda est

[vendettapandav]

The Cult of the Second Death, FAITH's Characters, and Demons

Note: This is just my own interpretation of the cult, the characters, and the demons. These descriptions are the premise I use for my own writing. It's derived mostly from the canon but my own research and headcanons do a lot of heavy lifting. This isn't a comprehensive list of my thoughts and I'm sure that as time goes on, I'll be adding more to. Special thank you to @simply-jason , Alastor is his own original character and this whole idea was collaboratively built with his help. It's actually part of a larger verse we have together, but for now, I'm just gonna focus on what's relevant to the Readings of the Damned fics! Please enjoy!

The Cult of the Second Death is a Satanic cult based in New Haven, Connecticut. The organization’s primary residence is a large apartment building situated close to a local prenatal care clinic, both of which are owned and operated by the cult’s leader, Gary A. Murphy Miller.

The beliefs of the cult center around a rejection of authority and inhibition. The cult looks to the story of Satan becoming a fallen angel and establishing Hell to begin another rebellion against God in heaven. From this, they believe that God is a tyrannical authority figure, and all established religions serve as enforcers of his oppressive ideals (sin, guilty before birth, lifelong penance, seeking forgiveness, etc.). They think that what the devout and pious see as sin - unholy and in need of casting out in order for mankind to becom divine again like Adam and Eve before the fall - is actually inhibition; natural desires and part of human nature that the ruling authority has warped mankind into seeing as wrong, guilty, undesirable, and in need of cutting out. However, rather than focus on atonement or penance, the cult teaches that these desires should be healthily indulged in and accepted rather than used as guilt-fodder. Their tenants are as follows: 

Healthy indulgence instead of abstinence

Vital existence instead of spiritual pipe dreams

Undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit

Kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates

Vengeance instead of turning the other cheek

Responsibility to the responsible, consequence to the irresponsible

Man is just another animal and should not be elevated from such

So-called sins are natural desires for emotional, physical, and spiritual gratification sought from existing

The cult embrace their desires as natural inclinations and engage with them in ways that prevent guilt and shame. In this way, they see themselves as free. They are unshackled by inhibition as others are. They see authority (spiritual or otherwise) as corrupt, unjust, and oppressive, and they seek to destroy the systems in place that hold up the notions of fear, shame, and guilt as tools of control. It is for this reason that the end goal of the cult is stated to be “to free everyone from the fear they’ve been told to live under”. While the idea itself sounds admirable in theory, the means by which they practice this are sometimes far less noble. 

The cult is led by Gary - known secretly as the demon Astaroth, the Great Duke of Hell. Gary was sent from Hell by Lucifer himself in order to prepare the world for the arrival of the Antichrist. He was informed that, when then time came, the Antichrist would join him on the surface and lead the legions of Hell onto Earth, for which Astaroth would oversee the fight. Demons would spill forth, latching themselves onto humans, binding with their souls and replacing them, and setting them free of their inhibitions and false-faith. In doing so, they would be taking all of God’s creations from him (an act of revenge for Satan’s initial banishment and in order to finish what he started with Eve as the serpent), freeing them from his influence, and turning the world into a second kingdom of Hell which would be ruled by Asmodeus, the Prince of Hell. The Earth, as God and his followers knew it, would be “destroyed”. Mankind would never be able to become divine as they once were. The Antichrist would bring about a great change;  their souls would taken and replaced by demons. They would never die, never fight, never know hunger or poverty or inhibition - and therefore never enter the kingdom of Heaven. Instead, they would become the subjects of Asmodeus under his kingdom, bonded to their demons and living as non-mortals on a new, better Earth. 

Such a task would take much time, resources, and sacrifice. Many, many sacrifices. But the Great Duke was more than willing, and he was assigned the UNSPEAKABLE as his assistant. Gary was brought into the world by a small crop of Satanists in the form of an infant offered through a portal to Hell. At the end of their lives, he took over the cult and began to grow it with charm and wit. He gathered a devoted following of lost souls, rebels, and desperate folk seeking hope from the ashes of their faith which had scorned them. Gary took them under his wing, telling them of freedom and liberation. But no great thing comes without sacrifice. He built a closed, secretive community, where he introduced his cult to the ceremonies and rituals slowly. He used his dark power to fulfill their wishes. He summoned demons for them to engage with and behold in order to dispel their initial hesitations. And with these small gestures, he earned a captive, loyal following. They built the labyrinth and the temple, and they began offering sacrifices to help summon more demons to help prepare the world for the Antichrist. First he bought the apartment complex to provide his followers a main base and housing. Initially, the group’s human sacrifices were the homeless living in the local “Candy Tunnels” and a few odd teenagers who went out into the woods alone. Their souls helped someone several demons. However, it attracted more negative attention than Gary wanted. So, a few of his followers helped him secure a job at the clinic in order to help continue harvesting souls without drawing so much suspicion. This new source of souls allowed Gary to perform the Second Death ritual more frequently, though it was more time consuming as infant’s souls are very small compared to older souls.The new portals allowed more demons to come through. And with the arrival of Amy as their chosen vessel for the Antichrist to arrive in, everything is falling into place.

Beyond being harbingers of the Antichrist and his army of demons, the cult has its more mundane side as well. On the surface, it appears as a sacrirficial killing machine. And to some degee, this is true. (Though cultists mostly kill in self-defense or to defend their secrets.) However, at its core, Gary’s family has not forgotten its goal of being an anti-authority, self-sustaining community. The members of the cult are binded by their shared beliefs against established institutions of power. They are very friendly towards one another and work together to complete tasks and perform ceremonies. They grow their own food in large gardens. They produce their own supplies and build their own structures, and gather resources on their own via sustainable methods. They solve-problems as a group and don’t shy away from healthy conflict and communication to resolve issues. They are also not afraid to mobilize and rebel publicly against perceived unfair authoritarian moves by government and religious heads. On the inside, their organization is very idyllic and peaceful. You don’t have to worry about much so long as you attend you weekly meetings and pay your tithes.

Everyone in the cult knows what they’re doing. They know what the end goal of the cult is and they welcome it openly. They are excited to meet the demon that will be bound to them and, in essence, become a replacement for their souls. They are excited to live in a world where no one is inhibited by shame or guilt from oppressive authority, and where healthy expession of one’s primal self will be the norm. They are inspired by this idea and truly believe the world will be better because of it. They are also incredibly loyal to Gary and their family as a whole. If threatened, they will take all necessary action to defend them. 

Key Members

Alastor Rosales 

Alastor is something of a strange outlier when it comes to demons and the cult. He was not summoned by anyone. Rather, he seemed to find his way to the cult on his own. According to him, both of his parents were demons residing on Earth already, though that doesn’t make his own existence any less mysterious. He’s an incubus that blends in with humans and tries to live a normal life just like they do. He works a job as a pornstar and moved into the apartment complex seeking a new, more affordable home. He was startled to see how revered he was by the cultist but was slowly introduced to it all by Alu, who was more than happy to show him the benefits of being worshiped. Over time, Al has come to accept his place in the cult as one of the more relaxed demons. He’s not involved in very many ceremonies, but he’s still friendly and supportive to the community’s members. His open and affable nature has earned him the title of The Heart. 

Alejandro Garcia 

Having been captured by the cult during an attempt to save John, Garcia witnessed firsthand the power of Gary’s influence and the ability of the demons he was trying to fight. He watched John’s corruption and was forced to watch him denounce God and embrace Gary and the cult. In that moment, his cross fell from his hands and he realized that, if one as determined and devoted as even John could be broken, then there truly was no hope. There was no way that he alone could defeat the UNSPEAKABLE and the cult, and going to the church was impossible. He submitted to the cult and was indoctrinated by Miriam, who had initially captured him. It was her who carried out his Conviction Ceremony and broke him. By the end of it, Garcia found himself strangely enamored with the Mother of Demons and pursued her, eventually becoming bound to her. It took a lot time for him to grow accustomed to the teachings and methods of the cult. Eventually though, he settled in as a quiet, reserved paternal figure in the cult’s ranks. Occasionally, he even serves as its protector and helps enforce some of the rules to those who stray too far for John to lead back. He’s known among the cult as The Defender.

Alu 

Alu is an archdemon who was summoned due to an improper completion of the Second Death ritual as performed by Tiffany. He was pulled to Earth with the promise of having Lisa as a vessel. However, for obvious reasons, this didn’t work out. As a result, he began slaughtering cultists in order to take their souls and remain here on Earth until a suitable vessel could be found for him. He has no real reason to be topside. He’s just sticking around for the fun of it to cause chaos. He’s bound to the soul of Lisa Pearson.

Amy Martin 

Amy worked at the clinic run by Gary and his cult. She struggled with family issues at home, including a mother who refused to seek help for her untreated postpartum psychosis and subsequent postpartum bipolar disorder after miscarrying her twin brothers. Her father, meanwhile, was away overseas serving in the armed forces. Amy’s refusal to encourage her mother’s delusions and hallucinations led to her being neglected and mistreated by her. To try and get away from home, she took up a job at the local clinic. This led to intense friction between her and her mother, which came to head when they got into a fight after her father returned home and unilaterally decided she would no longer be working at the clinic. Hearing about her situation, Gary extended an invitation towards Amy to join them one last time via a “get-together at the clinic.” There, he told Amy about the cult and its goals, and offered to help her escape her controlling family. Amy was hesitant at first, but wanting to rebel against her family who refused to change and who had threatened to disown her and throw her out if she kept working at the clinic anyways, she figured it would be better for her to just leave first. She agreed to the terms and underwent the Second Death ceremony, becoming possessed by a demon in the process and returning home. Her parents suspected something was wrong and called a priest after she began pushing back hard against both of her parents for refusing to get help and get over the twins. Obviously, we know how that went. After the failed exorcism and the death of her family, Amy went back to Gary’s cult to stay and become the Profane Trinity; the chosen vessel for the Antichrist. Her and her demon are bound together, and they get along fairly well for the most part. She’s revered in the cult and pulls her weight to make things work. She’s also very stubborn and doesn’t want to leave. The cult refers to her as The Fallen Star.

Gary Miller 

The leader of the cult and the demon Astaroth. In demonology, he’s known as the Great Duke of Hell and part of the Evil Trinity alongside Lucifer and Beelzebub. He’s said to command 40 legions of demons. On Earth, he’s a charismatic mastermind with a soft spot for history and sweet snacks. Intelligent and cunning, Gary knows exactly how manipulate people into doing whatever he wishes of them. Beyond his sharp tongue is the powerful form of a demon capable of incredible feats. Ranging from spellcasting to demon summoning, flight to invisibility, Gary is a jack of all trades and a master at carrying out Lucifer’s will. And he will stop at nothing to complete his goals. (Though he may occasionally take breaks and find time for those closest to him.) He’s bound to the soul of his partner, John. Aside from being their leader, Gary is also referred to as The Chalice.

Jefferey (Elevator Demon) 

A demon summoned by Gary, he he came to the mortal realm after being offered the soul of the previous landlords of the apartment building who began prying into the cult’s business a little too much. He inhabits the elevator, and because of this, he befriended little Timmy who lives on the ninth floor of the apartment complex. He’s generally pretty indifferent towards others. But he will get aggressive towards anyone threatening Timmy or messing with the buttons on the elevator too much. He tends to be on the more curious side and will occasionally leave the elevator to climb on the walls and watch the cultists go about their day. It’s best to just ignore him.

John Ward 

A young priest who found himself in a downward spiral since the death of his mother, John hoped to find peace by aiding in the exorcism of Amy Martin. However, things did not go as planned. In an attempt to save her and her supposed siblings, John uncovers the elaborate plans of the cult and attempts to put a stop to them with the help of Father Garcia. Unfortunately, he is captured and defeated by Gary after wandering too far into the cult’s territory. Being confronted with the reality that he is a pawn in a game of control, he converts to the cult with Gary’s help and ends up becoming his partner. Through time and tenacity, John also ends up becoming a symbol of the cult’s strength and prosperity, and comes to serve as one of its post important pillars in its community. He’s known as The Shepherd. He convenes with other cultists and talks to them when they feel conflicted in order to alleviate them of their inhibitions, much like a priest accepts confessions of sinners so they may leave the church unburdened. He also helps assure them in their tasks, reminding people that Gary loves them and that they are carrying out the will of the UNSPEAKABLE. With him, no one goes astray. 

Lisa Pearson 

John’s childhood friend, Lisa works as a veterinarian at the local vet office in New Haven. She originally became entwined in the cult’s plans when Tiffany, her friend and neighbor, marked her as a vessel for the demon Alu in the Second Death ritual. Lisa ended up being possessed by Alu, but because the ritual was not performed properly, she was able to be successfully exorcised, though some part of her soul was still bound to Alu. After John converted, Lisa initially showed concern for him. However, over time, John was able to convince her of what Gary was doing and insisted that she join them so that the two of them could be together finally. Lisa was very hesitant after everything she’d been through with the demon. She didn’t agree with a lot of the things that Gary did. But, she loved John and thought that the goal of the cult was, on the surface, something to agree with. Plus, she was in turmoil of her own and seeking any sense of peace, comfort, and control over her life. So, she joined to be with John. Though she’s by far one of the most uninvolved spiritually, she’s a pillar of the communal spirit when it comes to interpersonal bonding and community-building. She’s known among the cult as The Bloom for her healing spirit and kind, supportive nature.

Malphas (The Profane Sabbath Demon)

Summoned by Gary to help oversee the completion of the Profane Sabbath, Malphas is a messenger demon that helps prepare and officiate many rituals in the cult. He’s fairly avoidant of most cultists, minds his own business, and only really engages when its necessary. Other than that, he’s a fairly tame and unassuming demon. It’s not clear whose soul was used to summon him to Earth. According to Gary, Malphas’ arrival was the result of approximately fifty-five babies that were harvested from the clinic. He’s referred to by the cult as The Bird.

Michael Davies 

A young boy born with albinism, his superstitious parents became concerned that his altered appearance was the work of a demonic possession. They brought him to Father Garcia in order to seek an exorcism and Garcia took on the task gladly. He spent months trying to free the boys soul. Those months in his basement led to Michael developing multiple deficiencies, malnourishment, and rickets. Eventually, he managed to escape and was pursued by Garcia through the woods before being lost entirely. He ended up being found by Miriam and nursed back to (moderate) health by her and other members of the cult, including Amy. He and her share a close relationship, having trauma-bonded over their neglectful families and their traumatic experiences with priests. 

Miriam Bell 

Originally serving as a nun for several decades, Miriam grew to resent the church after being taken advantage of by a priest in the congregation. She turned from God and joined a cult which performed the Second Death ritual on her where she was possessed by the UNSPEAKABLE. From this, Gary was brought into the world. Miriam remained on Earth after that, her soul now bound to the UNSPEAKABLE, and continued on in the role of a nun. She was transferred to an orphanage to help take care of the children in a newly-renovated church - the same church her ceremony had been performed in and abandoned. She connected the church basement to the cult labyrinth and “died.” (See: disappeared to run the cult with Gary.) Over time, children began disappearing (being adopted by members of the cult to grow their numbers early on). The Vatican sent a priest to investigate why and was told to ask Sister Bell. The priest stayed the night in the church trying to find the “dead” woman’s spirit, following the sound of her mad cackling, and eventually disappeared just like the children had. In his case however, he was sacrificed. Miriam serves as the maternal figure of the cult. She tends to her human and demon children alike with a kind and loving hand. And she deals with intruders and interlopers with a much firmer one. The cult often refers to her as Mother Moon. Her soul is intertwined with Alejandro’s.

Roger (Candy Tunnel Demon) 

One of the first demons to be summoned, Roger was summoned to earth using the soul of a homeless man who had been living in the tunnels- one of the cult’s primary entries and exits to their lair. He acts as something of a guard to the cult. He scares off intruders and interlopers, he helps keep nosy folks away when there are rituals going on, and he helps organize ceremonial sacrifices. When he’s not needed as a guard, he tends to wander around. He’s a very curious demon by nature. Gary advises that if he approaches to just stay still and avoid running. (Though that’s advice he offers for every demon. Running only triggers their hunting instinct and makes them want to chase someone.) As long as one doesn’t panic, it’s okay to disregard him. Some do engage with him and it usually ends without consequence. If you can keep your nerve, Roger can appear friendly. He will even leave small gifts for cultists that play nice with him on occasion.

Tiffany Robinson

Known among the cult as The Rejected Vessel, Tiffany was Gary’s right hand man and thought herself to be the perfect vessel for the Antichrist. She was diligent, refined, loyal, and stood by Gary throughout all his rituals and ceremonies. Even so, she was deemed inadequate a vessel. She became angry and jealous when Gary chose Amy as the prospective harbinger for the Antichrist. So much so that she went rogue and performed the Second Death ceremony on herself, using Lisa as a prospective offering in the ceremony. Because the entire ritual was done incorrectly and there were no proper sacrifices done, Tiffany herself ended up becoming possessed by a demon. It binded itself to her soul and fed off of her wrath and her jealousy in order to possess her. She’s still somewhere in the cult’s territory. Gary just hasn’t bothered to find her. He’s got more important things to worry about. Though some cultists worry about how the Rejected Vessel might retaliate against them all.

The UNSPEAKABLE

Gary’s little helper, the UNSPEAKABLE was sent by Lucifer with the task to assist Gary in arriving on Earth and preparing the world for the Antichrist. In order to do this, it latched on to the soul of Sister Miriam Bell when she had the Second Death ritual performed on her. It helped open the portal for Gary to pass through to get to Earth. Afterwards, it lingered with Miriam and helped her deceive her way back into the church, instructing her on how to connect the church she was eventually transferred to back to the labyrinth created by the cult. Afterwards, it guided her to take the orphaned children and bring them to the cult where they would be adopted, as well helped her get rid of Father Clark. From then on, it’s had a hand in every sacrifice and ritual to date, serving at the cult’s symbol and mascot, and the main connection between Earth and Hell. Both it and Gary chose Amy to be the perfect vessel, and it has been assisting in preparing the world for the Antichrist. The cultists look to it with awe and reverence. Its power is unknowable, its mere presence overwhelming, and it loves interacting with cult members. Specifically, the children who like grabbing onto its hands and holding on while it gently swings them around. It is bound to the soul of Miriam Bell.

Roles

Tier I Acolytes

Tier I acolytes are new indoctrinates. Most come willingly into the cult, often brought in by friends, family, or neighbors. They express a desire to join the commune and be part of the community. They are monitored heavily, offered plenty of praise and welcome in order to warm them up to the more spiritual idea of the cult. This is done by having them attend meetings. Those that comply at this stage can advance further. Those that try to escape are quickly weeded out and expelled. If they’re in too deep however, they’re taken for sacrifice. 

Tier II Acolytes

Tier II are advanced indoctrinates who have showed an affinity for the spiritual aspect of the cult. They show a measure of compliance with ritual preparation, attend their weekly meetings, and make the sacrifices necessary to be considered a proper member of the cult. At this point, demons will begin revealing themselves to them in small ways. They will find sigils in their homes, see shadowy figures and silhouettes, and be more driven and dedicated to the cause. They’ll also need to practice better hygiene and learn more efficient hunting tactics in order to gather sacrifices. Things become a little more challenging in order to prove they are worthy of truly being part of Gary’s family. Those that cannot meet the increased demand already know too much. If they fail to maintain themselves, they will be sacrificed.

Tier III Acolytes

Tier III acolytes have overcome the challenges presented to them in Tier II and are almost fully indoctrinated. They are completely devoted to the cause and beliefs of the cult. They are almost impossible to pry from the community. Often, their family and friends have already forgotten them. They are ready and willing to be chosen at any time to become a vessel for the Second Death. Almost nothing can save them now.

Tier IV Acolytes

Tier IV acolytes are the highest rank of the cult’s thralls. They are beyond any salvation. They are committed in body, mind, and soul, to Gary and his cause. They do not just wait for the Second Death. They are in line to receive it. A demon has already been selected to be bound to them. All that remains to be done is a ceremony uniting them to said demon through the Second Death. They are Gary’s chosen few below all others. 

Chosen Vessels

Chosen vessels are anyone within the cult that has been selected to receive the Second Death and have their soul and body bound to a demon. They could be followers of any level, though most commonly they are Tier IV acolytes. Amy is the only real exception to this. 

Impure Vessels

Impure vessels are vessels that chosen outside of the cult, or members of the cult who have not been chosen by Gary but have undertaken the task to perform the ceremony on themselves anyway, such as Tiffany.

Ceremonies

January

1st - New Moon’s Grace: New Year’s Day. It’s celebrated by the cult staying up till midnight to see the shift, a small potluck, a lot of dancing and drinking, and just general merriment and celebration on behalf of the cult members.

5th - 31st - Recens Satus: Taking place all month long starting on the 5th, Recens Satus translates directly to Fresh Start. In order to begin the new year on a good foot, all leftovers are sacrirficed to the demons and the focus is shifted to cleanin house. Old things that serve no purpose anymore are thrown away or donated depending on condition. This helps keep the cult’s image up and also allows for a neat, healthy, happy home for the community. Gary in particular tends to be exceptionally neurotic about cleaning.

February

1 - Rubra Luna: Celebrated as he birthday of Lucifer, Rubra Luna is spent praising his name and giving thanks to Him with various sacrifices and a long evening Mass. This day also marks the beginning of what some members call “The Month of Sin.” Demons visit throughout the weeks of February and there are several notable ceremonies that happen during this time.

4th - Vessel’s Grace: A ceremony in which one member of the cult is specially chosen to be baptised in a pool of blood and graced with the privilege of being wilfully possessed by a demon. The demon wil inhabit their body for the month, bringing vitality, blessing, and good fortune to the cult. At the end of the month, the will leave the Vessel’s body and return to Hell to report back on the status of the cult.

8th - 13th  - Seduction’s Eve: Traditionally, these are the days before the beginning of the Rite of Amor Tentura. People in relationships will sit down and discuss their relationship for the following year. Those seeking to enter a relationship will begin courting their desired partner in hopes of wooing them and taking the rite with them.

14th - 21st - Rite of Amor Tentura: The cult equivalent of Valentine’s Day, this celebration lasts for about a week and is an early celebration of Spring. The major symbol of the holiday is the Baphomet, which symbolizes fertility, love, and lust. The ceremony is an annual tradition where members of the cult find partners. They then share a rite with them to spend the entire year together. The boundaries of partnership are open and flexible. Anything goes so long as the bonding is consensual and uncoerced between any and all parties involved. This means that a person can share their vow with the same person for many years in the cult, or, if both parties feel like things aren’t working out, then they’ll be able to break it off and select a new partner to be with during the ceremony for the next year. They may even have multiple partners if everyone is in agreement to do so, or have partners of the same sex. The key part of the ceremony includes consummating the new partnerships formed for the coming year, and while traditionally, this is a public event performed under the Baphomet for all the cult to witness and pray for, Gary is lenient about making an exhibit of it. As long as you fuck under/in front of the Baphomet in your private apartments, you’re fine.

28th - Demonae Reditus - Literally meaning demon’s return, it’s a small ceremonial sendoff to the demon that possessed the vessel during Vessel’s Grace.

March 

17th Witch’s Sabbath: A day adapted in Spring led by Gary. Previously, Tiffany hosted it with the one chosen vessel. The festival involves a sacrifice, though not always a killed one. Sometimes they take new indoctrinates and bless them, offering their souls to the dark lord in exchange for a good year full of luck and life.

20th - 22nd - Vere Umbra: Taking place on the spring equinox, this a rite in which cult members go out and collect a major sacrifice to be offered up live to the UNSPEAKABLE. They take their offerings to the altar where they chant and bang on ceremonial drums, lining up one by one and bringing their live specimens to be eviscerated over the altar while bathing their hands in the blood of their kill. The purpose of the ritual is to ensure that their faith in Lucifer is not lost with the coming of a new year and to be blessed with good luck, magic, and power to face the new year and any obstacles it may bring. Gary always goes first and does a sermon throughout the ceremony as people go one by one killing animals (or other things…) they picked up while out and about. Afterward, they celebrate the equinox by eating, drinking, indulging, sinning, etc.

April

1st - Synchophanta Aurora: The cult equivalent to April Fool’s Day. A minor holiday highlighted by mostly lighthearted tricks and jokes. Everyone makes lots of small snacks and sweets to trade, and they give thanks to demons who specialize in trickery and playful magick for keeping their spirits high. 

First Sunday of the Month: Ash Sunday: A minor ceremony where the cult gathers in the church at sundown and takes turns covering their hands in hot ash and pressing their palms against the altar in reverence of Lucifer.

Second Friday of the Month: Fresh Friday - The cult has a large garden where they grow fruit, vegetables, herbs, spices, and roots. This is their designated day where everyone goes and pitches in with the harvest of crops planted during the winter and summer previous. 

15th - Income taxes due: Exactly what it says on the tin.

17th   Hunter Sunday: The cult equivalent of Easter. The adults in the cult decorate and hide small capsules and toys around the apartment and the garden for the younger members of the cult to find. There’s a lot of chocolate and mashamllows involved. The winner of the hunt gets a prize in the form of lots of sweets and a visit from a very gentle, friendly demon to keep them company for the rest of the year. (Gary has an obsession with the Marshmallow Peeps.)

30th - Walpurgisnacht: Celebrated the night of April 30th and the day of May 1st. The cult praises Saint Walpurga for battling pests, rabies, and other illnesses. Unlike Christians however, they praise the Saint for allowing witchcraft and black magic to flourish and give them power.

May

4th - May the Fourth Be With You: The cult has a lot of Star Wars fans…

5th - Cinco de Mayo: Members of the cult of Mexican descent celebrate this holiday. It is the anniversary of Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862

Second Sunday of May - Mother’s Day: This cult places a special importance on mothers. Expect to see a lot of celebrations of moms. Miriam tends to make an appearance, pinching cheeks and giving gifts and calling dedicated members sweet names. Gary cannot escape the smothering she gives him.

Friday the 13th: On the years where it happens, this is celebrated as a minor holiday with lots of snacks, pranks, and dancing. It’s considered a day of good fortune and luck. 

30th - Memorial Day:This is a minor holiday where the cult takes time to mourn and remember all of its members that is has lost due to varying circumstances. It’s quiet, sorrowful, and a way to express lingering pain and grief while honoring the happy moments members had with their loved ones.

June

Third Sunday - Father’s Day: Much like Mother’s Day, the cult values fathers as well. Expect a lot of gift giving, feasting, and partying to celebrate dads. Especially the father Lucifer, 

20th - 22nd - Aestate Umbra: This particular holiday is celebrated on the Summer solstice and is believed by the cult to be when the fires of hell are closest to the surface. They celebrate by decorating the halls quite a bit and lighting candles. Prayers to the UNSPEAKBLE are almost nightly occurrences through the months of June, and masses are held in the basement often. Sacrifices must be made frequently and consistently, as the chance of demons coming to visit sharply increases. Aside from the increase in responsibility, partying is a very common occurrence. Feasting, drinking, and other recreational and procreational activities are encouraged. The event is also recognized as an excess of magic being poured out from the underworld, allowing members of the cult to feel rejuvenated and invigorated. Those that collect crystals often spend a lot of time tuning them in order to absorb the excess magic. Curses, hexes, and spells are cast in group settings to increase their power. Those that do not have a way to collect the magic often spend all day doing as much as they can to reap the benefit of its increased presence, hence the partying that happens. Gary in particular gets very neurotic about cleaning.

July 

7th - Candlewalk: This night is celebrated by the cultists lighting everywhere with only candles and walking in total darkness to invite any demons of mercy to scare off inhibitions or potential blocks in their faith. This is also an invitation to be healed by the hands of Lucifer against any ailments or struggles that a cultist might be facing. Cultists often seal themselves in their rooms for a night and commune with visiting demons about things they have hidden from their fellow brothers and sisters in order to lighten the load on their minds. They are able to trust in these demons and will be healed and forgiven by them at the price of a bit of blood being drawn.

22nd - Sloth Day: A minor holiday spent lounging about and relaxing. Often with food and drink. It’s a good day for everyone to unwind for a bit and go out to the beach or movies if they’re not napping in.

August

20th - 22nd Folium Umbra: This ceremony takes place during the Autumn equinox. It is done to say farewell to all visiting demons who are returning back to hell as the weather cools, though some may occasionally linger in the shadows until winter. Sacrifices slow down in preparation for holidays, and prayer sessions are less frequent as the last of the magic of summer fades away. It’s more of a relaxed social event where others from out of town come to visit and are offered room with others in the apartments and the temple. It’s considered a family bonding ceremony more than anything. There’s a lot of drinking, but there’s an even bigger uptick in support for those who suffer of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

September

26th - Black Sabbath: A day in which the cult offers up vessels to visiting demons and uses them in a ceremony for a bountiful Halloween season. 

October

31st - Halloween: Though the origins of the tradition are mixed for them, they generally observe it as a day of merriment and empowerment and use it for rituals and for celebrations. In some Pagan traditions, Halloween is a night in which spirits from beyond are allowed to return and wander amongst the living. For them, it means demons visiting from Lucifer’s realm. The cult usually decorate to make their apartments seem inviting to spirits and demons passing by in hopes of having good fortune result from their passing. They leave out food and small trinkets in order to entertain their “guests” and keep them please through the rest of the year.

November

1st-2nd - Dia de los Muertos: Predominantly celebrated by the Mexican members of the cult, Gary’s adapted it for everyone to join in. Everyone sets up altars and shrines in their homes with pictures and spaces for offerings. These offerings are visited by spirits of friends and family who are guided and protected by the demons through the event until it’s over. 

11th - Veterans Day: A day spent celebrating those members that have served. Usually with a barbecue and drinks. 

4th week of November - Hebdomada Veniae: Taking place the week of Thanksgiving, the Week of Indulgence is a period of seven days where each day is spent indulging in one of the seven deadly sins. Sunday begins with Pride, Monday is Wrath, Tuesday is Envy, Wednesday is Greed, Thursday is Gluttony, Friday is Sloth, and Saturday is Lust.

Sparesday: Happening shortly after the Week of Sin, this is a designated day where all leftovers and collected sacrifices are given to the demons as thanks for allowing the cultists penance for a week to indulge in their pleasures. It’s also seen as a tax for one day inheriting Lucifer’s Kingdom by feeding his subjects: the demons.

December

20th - 22nd - Hiems Umbra: Occurring on the winter equinox, this ceremony is performed by the cultists each cutting their hands with a ceremonial dagger and offering a blood sacrifice into a grand cauldron full of hot coals. After everyone has offered themselves up, they all chant as the coals are set on fire and then dance in circles around the blaze, holding hands with visiting demons as they do. The purpose of the ritual is to show devotion and receive Lucifer’s favor and mercy for a relatively easy winter. This is followed by a period of fasting and non-stop prayer until the Grand High Climax.

24th - The Grand High Climax: A major holiday celebrated on December 24th. It is celebrated with the Black Mass, a major worshipping ceremony that Gary leads, and is followed by an excess of drinking, eating, sex, and merriment. Though it’s not acknowledged by all Satanic groups, Gary’s loves it. They host a huge potluck where everyone brings something and sits at a big table together passing around their plates, having toasts, and getting be seated beside a bunch of attending demons while they all spend time together.

25th to 31st - Yule: Essentially Christmas for them. Lasting from Christmas to New Year’s Eve and originally hailing from Pagan origin, Yule is celebrated with a decorated pine tree, a lot of singing, a lot of drinking, and a lot of eating. The cult will go out and cut down trees, burn the biggest log they have, and celebrate Lucifer and the good fortune they’ve received this past year. They make straw goats and a julebukk stuffed with sweets and, after praying to it for days, allow a demon to do the honor of destroying it and scattering the treats for them to collect. This time is also spent giving gifts to one another. 

31st - New Year’s Eve: Often called New Moon’s Eve, this event is celebrated the same way as regular New Year’s Eve for almsot everyone else. 

Other Ceremonies 

Birthdays: Birthdays are a big deal in the cult and everyone bands together to make sure a member’s special day is unforgettable. There are lots of presents, lots of food, lots of support, lots of drinking, and it’s generally a very big, cool party. Sometimes demons join in and toss the special birthday person around, but for once, they take very great care not to hurt anyone. Gary can’t promise that your cake won’t be untouched though. A lot of demons like cake. (Especially Alu.)

Black Matrimony: The cult equivalent of a wedding ceremony. It’s treated as a big event. Everyone helps pitch in to decorate and cook. The church in the temple is set up with decoration and everyone attends in formal attire for the event. The ceremony is officiated by a demon and a ring-bearing tradition. Praise is given to the UNSPEAKABLE for the union and the entire night is spent partying and rejoicing.

Dark Blessing: This is essentially the cult’s equivalent of communion and confirmation. Younger or newer indoctrinates undergo two (or three, if they’re born into the cult) of these rites in their life. The first is to signify that they have completed their indoctrination and are accepted by the cult. For new initiates, this is when all of the cult is in agreement that they are faithful and trustworthy. For born initiates, this happens on the day of their birth. The second rite happens when initiates have come of age - aka, reached 18. The third rite is given when they have committed the act of bringing either their first newcomer or their first sacrificial vessel into the cult, solidifying their place among the ranks. 

Blood Sanction: This ritual is performed whenever a new initiate is born. They are essentially blessed by darkness: marked with runes of blood, they are visited by their first demon so that they are ensured protection by the dark lord before being handed over to their mother for assurance that they will always be safe in His shadow.

Ceremony of Conviction: This rare ceremony is performed when it is found that someone is growing suspicious and intruding in the cult’s matters. They are taken by cult members, locked in the basement, and tortured for a fortnight. If the figure in question is a religious figure, such as a priest, missionary, or reverend, the torture is extended for two whole months, or longer. The cult invites demons to watch and cackle as they torment the prisoner in UNSPEAKABLE ways, aiming to break their faith. The end result is either conversion or a slow, torturous death as demons devour them morsel by morsel. Cultists observe the whole thing and chant, as the energy of the demons feeding off of a live meal can often invigorate the souls of initiates who are so lucky as to witness the sight. Those directly responsible for capturing the target are rewarded handsomely by Lucifer and his demons.

Final Respite: Funeral ceremony for fallen cult members. It’s a ceremony where the body (or whatever is left) is prepared with balms and salves, locked into a black wood coffin, and held in the temple church. The cult gathers to sing and pray in tribute to the member’s life, before the coffin is set ablaze and submerged in a fountain of blood where they will descend into Lucifer’s kingdom and join him in death.

Nox Amoris: If you’re a couple looking to conceive while indoctrinated in the cult, it’s critical that you go through this ritual and gain both Gary and the UNSPEAKABLE’s approval. These rituals are only available during the Spring and early Summer and must be performed at night. If Gary approves of the conception, he’ll go to the basement to draw up a summoning circle and briefly commune with the demons about the initiate’s intentions. The ritual consists of bringing a sacrifice to the altar, eviscerating it, bringing something you hold dearest to you, putting it inside the sacrifice, closing it back up, and then leaving it for the demons to collect under a powerful seal. If the demons accept, they will visit and return the item you sacrificed while you sleep. If they do not approve, the seal and the item will disappear. The reason it is important for the demons to accept the conception is because children with their approval are marked as Children of Lucifer by default and will go unharmed by visiting demons. If a child is born in the cult and it is not approved by the demons, there is a strong chance they may target the parents after it is born, and nothing will stop the newborn from being used as part of the Second Death ritual. (For this reason, Gary encourages birth control among cult members and, if necessary, will schedule abortions at the clinic for errors.)

Second Death - A ritual performed on a chosen vessel. A special mask is placed over the vessel’s face as a guide and stained with their blood as a glass ritual knife is used to carve out the face of the victim. This creates a portal to Hell. From there, seven living newborns must be passed through in order to receive a response. Usually, this takes the form of a demon binding itself to the victim’s soul, possessing the body, and pushing its hand through the cavernous face. When not actively being inhabited, the victims face will return and they will regain control of themselves. However, the demon will still be bound to them and able to take control at any given time. After a certain point, the demon will completely emerge from the vessel’s face and walk alongside them on Earth. 

Walk of Judas: The cult performs a re-enactment of the Last Supper and Judas’ betrayal to commemorate the branching off of members from the cult to new roots. They usually don’t move far, but whenever cultists end up moving out of the apartment complex after years of dedicated service, this ceremony is held by Gary and his cult to commemorate them leaving in the hopes that they will spread the knowledge of what they have learned and continue their practices. And they’re very authentic about it. They dress the part, make bountiful feasts, and turn the whole apartment complex into basically a walkthrough theater where the departing person plays the role of Judas to affirm that they will carry on the ways of the cult long after they’ve left.

Weekly Meetings - Taking place Wednesdays and Sundays (unless there’s a holiday). These are gatherings in the temple chapel where Gary holds a short service to remind everyone of upcoming events and dates. It’s also taken as an opportunity to praise diligent members and warn of potential dangers both inside and outside of the cult.

Demons

The relationship between demons and souls are complicated. A soul is what allows a mortal creature to live and walk on Earth. Earth can only be possessed and tread upon by creatures with souls. Demons (and angels) do not have souls and so are confined to Hell. There are just two ways to get around this, and it is why they want souls in order to be able to walk on Earth. 

When a soul is sacrificed (meaning offered from a dead person) to them, it is not absorbed into them, nor does it exist within them the way it does for a human. They’re still very much non-mortal and do not become mortal by having a soul. Rather, human souls act as ticket to Earth and a source of power to keep them on Earth. Demons want them in order to wander Earth and in order to become strong and feel vitalized. 

The other way a demon can come to earth using a soul is throught a vessel. A vessel is a living person who has been prepared to have their soul borrowed or bound to a demon. Borrowed for demons temporarily visiting, bound for demon who are permanently staying with them. They prefer willing vessels, but any vessel will do as long as it has a soul. They can possess this vessel at any time and use their bodies any way they like. 

If a demon is called by its name while it is in the mortal realm, one of two things can happen. If it is bound to/possessing a vessel, it will manifest itself by taking control of the body to respond to the one who has addressed them. If it is not bound to/possessing a vessel, the demon will appear before the one who called its name. How it responds varies wildly based on the temperament and nature of the demon.

While it is generally considered ill fortune to call a demon by its name, if it is not already summoned into the mortal realm, there’s really nothing it can do. 

Demons generally do not share their true names. It is only by salvaged record that most of them are known. The primary reason for this is because if you know their name, you have the power to summon them by invoking their name. This means that, to some degree, you can control them by way of making deals at any time or interrupting their work at will.

There is a difference between possession and being bound. Possession is of the flesh. Binding is of the soul/spirit. 

Any demon can possess a person, and any demon that possesses someone can be banished with an exorcism. It already has a soul (usually from someone who’s already dead) allowing it to walk on Earth. Therefore, its hold on the person’s flesh is weak and temporary. (Such as Alu temporarily possessing John.)

A demon that is bound to someone’s soul is tethered to that person forever. Its very essence is now merged with the person’s. Exorcism can temporarily remove it from their body if it’s possessing them, but it won’t free their soul and the demon will try to get their person to run away. The person and the demon are intricately intertwined. (Such as Amy and her demon, or Miriam and the UNSPEAKABLE.)

A demon can only be bound to a mortal’s soul through ritual, like the Second Death. With a demon bound to them, the mortal will never age or die of natural causes, and some may even be granted special abilities as a result of their soul being bound to a demon. (These abilities depend wholly on what the demon is capable of.) However, because of this tether, if either the mortal or demon is hurt/killed, then the other will suffer the same fate. Kill the person, the demon dies. Exorcise the demon, the person dies. 

Multiple demons can bind to one soul. It’s incredibly rare though. Most demons don’t like to share.

Multiple souls can also bind to one demon. The more souls a demon has bound to it, the more powerful it becomes. 

When a demon falls in love with a mortal, it means they truly care for that individual. They will become very diligent, dedicated, and protective of them. They will do anything to make them happy and keep them safe. In return, they hope to be bound to the mortal. This has been the heel of many fallen demons.

The offspring of a demon and a human is known as a Demifiend. They are incredibly unique creatures. They often inherit some of the abilities of their demon parentage that will grow stronger with age. Because humans need souls to exist and a soul cannot exist in a demon’s body, Demifiends’ souls often take the form of a shapeshifting animal companion - a daemon. Much like the bond between their parents, Demifiends’ soul are an extension of themselves. They will not die of natural causes, but can be killed if their Daemon is.

Every demon has its own unique abilities and powers. This depends on their rank, how many souls they have, and their own personal forte. Some are masters of charisma, others specialize in trickery. Most demons have multiple abilities. All demons have the ability to appear at will or turn invisible in order to protect themselves.

Every demon has a different and unique temperament. For the most part, they all get along or are at least civil towards one another. Even still, they are all unique individuals with their own personalities. Some are mischievous and relish in chaos and suffering. Others are more even-tempered, neutral, and to themselves. Still others are very friendly, gentle, and outgoing. No two demons are completely alike. Not even twins.

#i've done it #i feel like squidward just completing his masterpiece #please enjoy this long ass meta post #i hope y'all enjoy it #faith the game #father garcia #faith chapter 3 #faith game #faith airdorf #faith the unholy trinity #john ward #lisa pearson #tiffany robinson #gary miller #amy martin #michael davies #miriam bell #friends oc: alastor rosales #simplyjason ❤️