#Secret Rites

[loquaciousquark]

Cazador's Ritual Runes, Translated

Inner: AMPLIFY + HIM + FLOW + EMPOWR [sic] Middle: WE OFFER THE FORCE OF LIFE Outer: WE GATHER HERE TO INVOKE THE POWER OF BLOD [sic]

Mephistopheles can't spell for beans.

(Detailed analysis & conjecture regarding this text, the Rite of Profane Ascension, & Astarion's translated scars under the cut.)

The second ring was the easiest, as the characters are very similar to Latin letters and clearly read out "WE OFFER THE FORCE OF LIFE." Characters were now known for C, E, F, H, I, L, O, R, T, and W. It wasn't clear yet if there were cases.

I was struggling with the first ring, though after decoding the second, I could get a likely "_M_LIF_ + _IM + _LOW + EM_OWR". Guessing the character for P, Y, and A based on context gave me "AMPLIFY + _IM + _LOW + EMPOWR", but I had doubts over the first characters for words two and three. I suspected they would be HIM and FLOW, but the H and F characters didn't match the H from the second ring's "THE" or the F from "AMPLIFY". Also, "empower" was misspelled, which made me pause.

Abandoning those for a moment, the third ring mapped well onto "WE _ATHER HERE TO I__O_E THE _OWER OF _LO_". Ruling out known letters which were not present, I could guess "WE GATHER HERE TO I__O_E THE POWER OF _LO_", but again the P from "POWER" was not the same as the P from "AMPLIFY" in the inner ring. However, it was very, very similar, and nothing else fit, so I committed, now suspecting there were capital versions of some letters included in the text.

At this point I went digging for resources. I found a copy of an Infernal alphabet on the Forgotten Realms wiki, and while it looks like the typeface Larian used is a bespoke creation for the game rather than a 1:1 copy of this alphabet, the letters for lowercase G, N, K, B, and D were nearly identical. Y (from AMPLIFY) also matched perfectly, confirming that earlier guess. This gave a clear "WE GATHER HERE TO INVOKE THE POWER OF BLOD."

This resulted in: AMPLIFY + _IM + _LOW + EMPOWR WE OFFER THE FORCE OF LIFE WE GATHER HERE TO INVOKE THE POWER OF BLOD

Looking at the wiki for capital letters, the only ones I could find which might reasonably fit the _IM missing character (assuming the Larian alphabet was based off this wiki typography) were A, B, H, O, T, V, and Y. Of those choices, only AIM, HIM, TIM, and VIM were words, and as cheesy as Cazador is, I couldn't imagine him saying AMPLIFY TIM FLOW EMPOWR. Given the alternatives, HIM was the only choice which made sense.

I went through the same process for _LOW, but this character seems unmatchable to me. By far it looks the most like the E from the Infernal alphabet, with maybe a capital Y being a distant second. However, ELOW and YLOW are certainly not words, and absent all other comparatives, the character in question does resemble a fancy F. Barring other languages, FLOW with a capital or unique F fits best.

AMPLIFY + HIM + FLOW + EMPOWR WE OFFER THE FORCE OF LIFE WE GATHER HERE TO INVOKE THE POWER OF BLOD

I did double-check the texts available in Cazador's mansion just to make sure this hadn't been translated elsewhere (after I'd done all the work, of course), and the only written text of relevance is from the Black Mass scroll you find near Vellioth's skull. It reads:

The Rite of Profane Ascension Oh, piteous dead! Oh, ravenous dead! Immortality is your gift, but darkness is your prison and hunger its gaoler. The Rite of Profane Ascension will release you. Walk in the sun. Suffer not from hunger. Grow your power beyond anything you imagined. A pact has been made with the Lord of Hellfire. Deliver unto him seven thousand souls, each bearing an Infernal mark, and you shall be free of your chains. You shall know true power. Deliver the souls. Speak the words. Ecce dominus, Has animas offero in sacrificio, Nunc volo potestatem quam pollicitus es mihi.

The Latin translates (as best I can tell with my incredibly weak Latin) to:

Behold [the] Lord, I offer these souls in sacrifice, I want the power thou hast promised me.

Which is interesting, but not clearly mapped to the Infernal above. Then I started wondering what relationship Astarion's scars have with all this, but thankfully, someone else has done the work here!

Astarion's scars have been transcribed and translated in a wonderfully detailed Reddit post by northpaw_s in 2020, but the salient points are that they appear to be in a mishmash of mangled Latin and Romance languages ("Infernal") and read:

Hoyc inferiu non iurare per igneu Naec virba loquor Eoai mundo muoat

Which appears to roughly translate to:

This soul swears no oath by fire Nor words does he speak In the realm of death

This makes sense if it's a fragment of a contract. I suspect the other spawn's scars are all identical to Astarion's for game mechanics/development reasons, but it'd be wild if they did have minor differences to complete the rest of the phrases! I know the scars don't show on their backs they way they do on Astarion's outside of the moment of the ritual, but it really does make me wonder if there's a complete text of the poem in some writer's documentation somewhere.

Anyway, what did you do with your Thursday night?

#astarion #cazador #no wonder the rite was so secretive mephistopheles didn't want anyone to know he's a terrible speller #baldur's gate 3 #plus a lot of talk about astarion's scars' meaning & the rite's text #puzzles! neat! #i don't know what to tag this so i'll be able to find it again #quark plays bg3 #quark rambles #each phrase is repeated three times on each ring by the by

[the-save-star-anomaly]

Ooookay, I am starting to think we may be disabled in more ways I thought

#[MO]: magnusOopsies #neuropunk #cpunk #disabled #help I don't feel qualified to post in these tags #at the same time #we ARE disabled in these ways #so like #idk #me when self doubt #nahhh I am so confident am I rite? #(no I'm not) #(but it's a secret) #(shhhhhhhh)

[bewilderedbuck]

YOU'RE WHITE????

yes??

#it wasnt a secret???????? #im sorry im laughing so mcuh i cant fuckign breathe #although this isnt the first time this has happened i have had like. 2 or 3 mutuals who didnt know i was white lmfao #its like. a spencer rite of passage (<- creds to rae ice-sculptures for that) #asks #anonymous

[adaarsvitaar]

I can't believe anet gave us lady dwarves AND a lady jotun in one update. I love dagda so much I want her to stick around forever

#SOTO spoilers #GW2 spoilers #I can't believe we got non-rite dwarves at all #give it to me anet!! #secrets of the obscure

[dawnbirdwhistle]

Just Your Average Family Things™

We all know that Zhongli and Xiao radiate father & son energy as per usual, but Hu Tao and Xiao radiate older sibling and younger sibling energy to me 💀

I audibly gasped when I saw this oml

My apologies for all these genshin posts advance, but this event is so memeable it's a problem

I try not to be spoilerish, but mind the tags please 👉👈

#xiao #zhongli #hu tao #genshin impact memes #lantern rite #lantern rite 2023 #xiao genshin impact #hu tao genshin impact #zhongli genshin impact #sibling energy #liyue characters #i love them #xiao was so shy the whole time #hu tao annoyed him into joining #also i love the dynamic of secret identities and their banter #more to come #but i don't want to spoil it yet #play it for yourselves #dawnbirdwhistle #meme corner #genshin impact

[blueheartbookclub]

"The Initiates of the Flame: Illuminating the Path to Esoteric Wisdom"

In "The Initiates of the Flame," Manly P. Hall takes readers on a captivating journey into the profound realms of esoteric knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. Hall's meticulous exploration of ancient mystical teachings serves as a beacon, guiding readers through the intricate tapestry of secret wisdom. With eloquence and depth, the author unravels the symbolic language of the initiates, revealing timeless truths that resonate with seekers of spiritual understanding.

Hall's narrative is a tapestry woven with threads of mystery, unveiling the sacred rites, hidden symbols, and spiritual allegories passed down through the ages. The book becomes a key unlocking the doors to higher consciousness, inviting readers to contemplate the esoteric principles that underpin the universe. As Hall delves into the teachings of the initiates, he sheds light on the transformative journey one must undertake to unlock the secrets of the flame—the eternal source of spiritual illumination.

The Initiates of the Flame is not merely a book; it is a profound meditation on the esoteric traditions that have shaped humanity's quest for spiritual enlightenment. Hall's insights are a testament to his deep understanding of the ancient mysteries, offering readers a glimpse into the hidden dimensions of existence. This work is a must-read for those who seek to unravel the mysteries of the flame and embark on a transformative journey toward higher knowledge and self-realization.

"The Initiates of the Flame," Manly P. Hall is available in Amazon in paperback 10.99$ and hardcover 18.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 167

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

#Esoteric Wisdom #Spiritual Illumination #Ancient Mysteries #Initiatic Teachings #Hidden Symbols #Symbolic Language #Higher Consciousness #Spiritual Transformation #Sacred Rites #Mystical Traditions #Secret Knowledge #Spiritual Allegories #Metaphysical Exploration #Initiatory Journey #Universal Truths #Occult Wisdom #Hermetic Philosophy #Alchemical Insights #Transcendental Knowledge #Self-Realization

[ikebanaka]

Okay so I've been thinking about something ever since I read an analysis of Law's full name. Do Ace and Luffy also have secret names, or is it just the Trafalgar family?

For that matter, do all members of a family have the Will of D by default like some sort of genetic predisposition towards charisma and being a worldshaker, or is it like a recessive trait that has to be recognized to be given? Are there a million Ds out there that just have it as part of their name without possessing the Will of D, or do people pass on the story of Ds in the family until someone looks at their kid and goes 'I think this one is special'?

I think Ace and Luffy made Sabo a genuine D by just giving it to him, because as an adult he has every trait associated with Ds, including being a harbinger of change. Like, it's not just a personality thing, this dude is one of the points around which the currents of fate and chaos revolve, and he's the one directing the flow. Inheriting the will of another is definitely a theme in One Piece, so are families just the most common way of inheriting the Will of D when it actually has nothing to do with genetics whatsoever?

Maybe the Trafalgars were just a normal ass family and it was Law specifically that inherited the Will of D from someone unrelated, and thereby a secret name.

#one piece #op spoilers #will of d #law refers to 'water' as an imina #which is kinda like a secret true name that holds your soul in buddhist funeral rites

[smalltownfae]

FAVOURITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR (so far)

#booklr #the poet x #lonely castle in the mirror #carpe jugulum #adulthood rites #feet of clay #the secret lives of church ladies #winter rose #favourite books of the year

[neverplaythisgame]

Axon hands back the poster.

AXON: You people are rude to Ron.

GAMBLING MAN: Ain’t my fault he looks like a nerd.

VITREOUS: HEY NOBODY INVITED ME TO THE WANTED POSTER ROTATION

RON DEVLIN: Void suit exclusive. Sorry.

VITREOUS: MAN FUCK Y. OOH HEY GLOWY. GOODBYE.

It rockets off to a shockingly blue building. Gamble laughs and follows after it. This seems to be the place.

The casino is very, VERY blue. Somehow, you’re not surprised to see that Gamble goes here often.

A man sits behind the front counter- or, well. He’s more face planted into it, snoring gently.

Gamble knocks on it sharply and he jolts straight up with a customer service smile that doesn’t seem like it ever leaves his face.

He looks dead.

???: OH! Sorry, you know how it is with the gimmick-

???: Welcome to PRICE’S RITE! Where if you want your earnings, you have to do just that- EARN IT!

???: Four- four of yas- OPE, no, five, you’re just short.

RANVIER: SHAT UP.

???: Done and done. Mouth shut about the sparse height.

RANVIER: 🤨

???: how did you-

???: SO! Newcomers this time, huh?

INPUT ACTION?

#SECRET TAGS. I’m wearing cowboy boots as I type #price's rite

[rowanhoney]

tomorrow…. I am buying a bass tomorrow

#it’s so so busy #my work friend who is my mini me also just turned 18 #and Ik all the rly good hidden bars #so I’m taking her on a secret bar crawl #first bar isn’t actually secret it’s just discreet #but I feel like having a cocktail there is kinda rite of passage for niche girlies becoming niche women #also they have my fave ever bev. and it’s reasonably priced . and it’s their exclusive recipe #they don’t even have it at other locations which I discovered in Paris. sad #but !!!!!! I am buying a BASS TOMORROW

[m00chii]

HYVRS WHEN WILL YOU RELEASE MY DENDRO BABY

#istg if she doesnt gwt released by the next lantern rite i will lose it #yaoyao my sweet sweet veggie baby #ganyu & beidou's secret child #yaoyao genshin #genshin impact #yaoyao

[eorzeashan]

I kind of liked my original idea that Eight adds the clothes of whoever he's working for/sworn to at that time to his operative outfit, or it came to resemble theirs in some way. It fit his character of a copycat who stole traits from others and inducted them into his malleable personality.

Under Intelligence, he wore layered coats-- fitting himself into that urban businessman mold for their office wars and concealing the assassin underneath.

Under Jadus, he wore a filmy black synth-silk veil attached to his headgear that helped camouflage his head and protect his neck if needed (see silk used as armor in ancient times for real history); it also gave him the moniker of the black-veil bride for his frightening obscured appearance as a servant of shadows.

Finally, in the KOTFE/ET era where he fights under Lana and Koth, he steals the captain's infamous coat and drapes it over his shoulders like a cape out of sheer mischief. Occasionally, he'll do the same to Lana's scarf and wear it as a hood/cover for the bottom half of his face. (She's not as amused as her compatriots when he does so, but she's also secretly happy that he's finally warming up to her even in antics).

#swtor #oc: orradiz #the outfit you see in screenshots is the 'base' template for all of these #his echani fit is the one that varies the most but i headcanon he just wears the thinnest parts of the suit underneath #if you can't tell the bride of jadus is my favorite one bc it hits all my gothic notes #his nine self used to steal theron's jacket too. #the colloquial theme behind jadorre is the combin of marriage/funerary rites and i liked the idea of a veil being worn at both #eight as an operative under jadus embodies the word ghost not just in a figurative sense but in a literal esoteric sense as well #in the empire you'd do well to understand these forces exist and he sought to capitalize on the silent terror that immobilized his enemies #before they even made a move #in other words: a ghost bride. the woman in black #rumor says he was the dead wife jadus murdered in secret now brought back to life by his hands too exact his vengeance

[signal-fire]

accidentally didn’t sleep last night and all i’ve done with my small amount of brainpower today is mentally hash out which romanceable dragon age characters aren’t war criminals. i think it’s 4 out of 17 of them. putting this important information in the tags before i forget it. it’s very long

#josephine because she’s never done anything wrong. alistair because he’s never done anything #merrill because being a shut-in who accidentally gets people killed is not a war crime. sera because all her beef is personal& not political #everybody else is at least a little bit of a war criminal #dorian is perfect but he is a necromancer and i think it’s probably a war crime if you reanimate your enemies’ corpses and make them fight #for you. leliana has done the most war crimes overall but blackwall’s crime is the most straightforwardly war crimey #solas wins most cosmologically impactful war crimes #anders did terrorism. isabela stole relics. both started wars. that’s a war crime right #fenris isn’t culpable for his crimes but they did happen #morrigan is a war criminal only because she’s constantly telling the warden to do the most evil shit. including war crimes #considering the role that the crows play in the fulcrum of the antivan political machine i am certain zevran has been party to at least one #war crime. i forgive him though #iron bull was a secret police spy guy. he’s totally done war crimes. he probably invented some. #cassandra tortured prisoners during interrogations. war crime. sorry girl #cullen is a war criminal for advocating for the rite of annulment in origins. that’s right buddy you can’t escape your past #hmm i think that’s it! lots of war criminals. #i am so tired #edit: i forgot SEBASTIAN ugh. obviously he's a war criminal for threatening to raze a city full of civilians

[ghostowlattic]

the secret rites of the black cloud goat flying society

#secret #rites #music

[i-spilled-my-soup]

hypothetically if xingqiu genshin impact were to find something he wanted to achieve and could not achieve it... do you think he would despair at his incapability, or would he find a way of thinking in which that incapability was actually a blessing.... would he resent fate, the finite nature of life and experience, or would he see each moment’s ephemeral quality as motivation, meaning itself, something to inspire not worry, but gratitude.....

#nerdposting #xingqiu #soup posting #dude is literally a muse #the secret rites are just. reciting poetry and eating pastries i think #for all of genshin impact's controversial character designs and pandering it's done some good by inspiring in me new philosophies

[arch-dieangelo]

nico needs to get weirder

#hes cringe hes mary sue hes over powered he fights god he likes collecting trinkets #hes lame hes annoying he cannot dress for the life of him #he wears tshirts for bands hes never heard of he hasnt run a comb through his hair in 6 years #he talks to ghosts he plays dress up with skeletons he pierces his own ears he gives himself bad stitches #he walks through walls he kills grass just by existing he accidentally opens giant cracks in the ground #hes 10 hes 90 hes 16 hes 24 #hes bleeding in a church hes visiting graves of people he doesnt know hes giving burial rites to roadkill #hes made it this far because of a geeky card game hes got excellent vision despite playing video games for 70 years straight #he hasnt graduated fifth grade hes a spy hes keeps secrets even and people can tell hes lying but he never gives it up #he gets shot bu cupid and curses him out #he kills a guy and another and another #he loses his tastebuds to the shadows but still loves sweets #he teleports into a cheese vat he falls into a volcano hes killed kings and taken their titles #hes one of two demigods with a weapon that can harm mortals #he can fight but he cant #he doesnt lie but he sticks to the bit #hes my special little guy