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melonbear51 · 1 year

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Lasombra concepts

I got your ask @iamthegodof but for some reason Tumblr won’t let me answer it normally so here we are lol. So, I know I say this about all the clans, but the Lasombra are just *chef's kiss.* Their vibes, their disciplines, their history are just top tier. Complete side note: the song/spoken-word poem "Want" by Recoil just SCREAMS Lasombra and I highly encourage you to check it out if you want to get into the headspace of one before a roleplay sesh or just want to jam out. But you didn't want song recs or opinions, you wanted ideas, so here they are! 1. We all know the Ventrue and Lasombra are antagonistic towards each other, to say the least. Imagine a pair of feuding vamps, one of each clan, who decide to truly test which clan is superior. As such, they target a pair of identical twins, the Lasombra siring one and the Ventrue siring the other. The twins are then encouraged to rise in vampire society, gain power, and generally become better and stronger than their sibling. By any means they see fit. I feel like playing the Lasombra twin in this scenario could be incredibly interesting, as they could either genuinely love their sibling and not want to participate in this charade, or resent and hate their sibling and fully give in to the ruthlessness of their bloodline at their sire's urging. Plus, the dynamics with their sire are just a breeding ground for interesting (and pretty unhealthy) interactions. 2. A famous classical musician whose performances have a strict "no photographs or recordings allowed" policy. They refuse to release albums or recordings, stating that performance art is best live, and that mechanical reproductions suck the soul out of art. This, of course, is a complete crock of bullshit and the musician is actually a Lasombra trying to make sure their bane doesn't get them caught by the Second Inquisition. Thanks to their retinue of security ghouls who diligently keep an eye on crowds and venues, they haven't run into too many issues, but the stress this causes them is doing nothing for their mental health and is making them begin to hate that which once gave them joy. 3. A Lasombra who specializes in corporate espionage. Need a competitor's newest prototype to glitch right before an important press event? They've got you covered. Need trade secrets or information on an upcoming acquisition or deal? They'll seduce the right employee and get the information out of them one way or another. The paycheck and the vitae are great, but the enjoyment they get out of it? Priceless. 4. A Lasombra who practices the Japanese art of Kintsugi, both to make a living and because they find it therapeutic. After all, much like the broken pottery, they've mended and come back stronger and, in their opinion, more beautiful. For a darker spin on this otherwise wholesome concept, have them really enjoy sabotaging others' lives and unlives to see "how much more beauty and strength can be achieved through adversity." 5. A Lasombra fledgling abandoned after the embrace, who, after a turbulent adjustment period, seems to be finding their way and who enjoys learning more about their bloodline from sympathetic clanmates and older vampires willing to educate them. What this fledgling doesn't know is that their sire is a VERY old vampire who abandoned them to truly test the "survival of the fittest," sink-or-swim mentality of the clan. This vampire has been watching them from the shadows, and will only reveal themselves if they think their childe worthy of their presence. 6. A Lasombra who leads a religious congregation at a college's local church/temple/mosque/[INSERT PLACEOF WORSHIP HERE]. Holding prayer meetings and other extracurriculars complete with vitae-spiked refreshments , the Lasombra has slowly been ghouling a sizeable section of the congregation, providing them with an ample herd to drink from and young, impressionable minds to mold as they see fit. 7. A Lasombra neonate who presented their staked sire to the Camarilla in order to join the sect. Initially happy to have a modicum of safety, they've become tired of their treatment from the Ivory Tower and plagued by guilt. Recently they have begun to consort with the Hecata in order to learn the secrets of Necromancy so they may see their sire once more. 8. A Lasombra grief counselor who actually engineered the deaths of their patient's loved ones and who is slowly indoctrinating them into the nihilistic views of the Cult of Shalim. Thanks again for engaging with my ideas and interacting with me! If you'd like to tip me (though you are under no obligation to do so) you can do so with this ko-fi link: https://ko-fi.com/melonbear51 Hope you enjoy these!

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yamayuandadu · 7 months

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Hi, sorry if this has been asked before, but do you have any reliable sources that talk about Ashtar? I'm also looking for articles that talk about El/Ilu; and Shalim and Shahar as well. I appreciate any form of help.

I've answered a similar Ashtar question a few months ago, refer to the bibliography here. I do not have much to offer when it comes to Shahar and Shalim because as far as I can tell most scholarship focuses on exegesis of the Bible, which is something I have next to no interest in. I've answered a question about them here; the main source to depend on is Pardee's Ritual and Cult in Ugarit. When it comes to El, the basic selection of sources dealing with Ugaritic religion should obviously be the start: Smith's Baal Cycle commentaries, Pardee's aforementioned book, Rahmouni's Divine Epithets in the Ugaritic Alphabetic Texts, Handbook of Ugaritic Studies, etc. For more specialized information I recommend: a) Il in Personal Names by Alfonso Archi (early history, and why names with the element il and its cognates do not necessarily refer to a specific deity in pre-Ugaritic sources) b) West Semitic god El in Anatolian Hieroglyphic Transmission by Ilya Yakubovich for the first millennium BCE c) The God Eltara and the Theogony by Anna Maria Polvani for El's Hurro-Hittite career (there's also the Elkunirsa myth but I do not think there's any recent treatment of it, so your best bet is to just read the translation in Hoffner's Hittite Myths from the 1990s) d) The Dwelling of ˀIlu in Baˁlu and ˀAqhatu by Madadh Richey for some lexical considerations regarding El's residence e) God (Ilu) and King in KTU 1.23 by Theodore J. Lewis for El's role as the king of the gods

Also, it's worth checking out Wiggins' monograph A reassessment of Asherah: with further considerations of the goddess since while hardly focused on El, it does discuss Athirat's relationship with him in the Ugarit section. Similarly, might be worth looking into this author's Shapash article.

#ugaritic miscellanea

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slpublicity · 1 year

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SCREAMBOX January Streaming Line-Up Includes IN DREAMS, JUST DESSERTS: THE MAKING OF CREEPSHOW, ALL THE COLORS OF GIALLO, & More

Screambox has revealed the new films that will be joining the horror streaming service in December, including exclusive titles In Dreams, Signal 100, Dawning, and Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow as well as a collection of Severin Films cult classics.

Just Desserts: The Making of Creepshow becomes a Screambox exclusive on January 13. The feature-length documentary offers a retrospective look at George A. Romero and Stephen King’s Creepshow through interviews with Romero, Tom Savini, Adrienne Barbeau, Ed Harris, Tom Atkins, Bernie Wrightson, and more.

January 13 also sees the arrival of 24 cult classics restored by Severin Films, including Jess Franco's Count Dracula starring Christopher Lee, Lucio Fulci's Zombie 3, the Dario Argento-produced Wax Mask, horror anthology The Uncanny starring Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasence, Australian hidden gem Next of Kin, creature feature Killer Crocodile, the Soviet Union's first horror film Viy, and Italian horror documentary All the Colors of Giallo.

Psychological thriller In Dreams streams exclusively on Screambox on January 17. Bianca Brigitte Van Damme — daughter of Jean-Claude Van Damme — stars as a woman who experiences a psychological spiral in the wake of her grandfather’s murder. Shalim Ortiz (Heroes) and Vannessa Vasque (East Los High) co-star.

Screambox original Signal 100 drops on January 24. Based on the manga by Shigure Kondô, the Japanese horror film finds a group of high school students being hypnotized to play a game where an unknown command causes them to take their own lives.

Festival favorite Dawning joins Screambox exclusively on January 31. A therapist returns to her childhood home to confront her family's dark past in the Korean chiller. It marks the feature directorial debut of Young Min Kim, whose visual effects resume includes The Batman, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Midsommar.

These titles will join Screambox’s growing library of unique horror content, including Terrifier 2, Pennywise: The Story of IT, Masters of Horror, 13 Nights of Elvira, American Mary, History of the Occult, and Toxic Crusaders.

Start screaming now with Screambox on iOS, Android, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

#screambox #horror #severin films #creepshow #george romero

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theonyxpath · 5 years

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2019 — Rich Thomas, founder and Creative Director of Onyx Path Publishing, announced the company’s next supplement for the newly-launched Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition corebook will be Cults of the Blood Gods.

“I’m tremendously excited to be developing Cults of the Blood Gods for V5! We’ll be seeing all kinds of faiths and factions, from the Church of Set to the Hecata, the Bahari to the Church of Caine, the Mithraic Mysteries to the Cult of Shalim, and more besides,” said Matthew Dawkins, the World of Darkness developer for Onyx Path Publishing. “Being able to provide rules for this edition’s Clan of Death is quite the privilege, and we’ll be looking to impress people with how they’re presented. I’ve got an excellent, diverse team with a range of experience on this book, and we’re all going to work hard to make it stand out.”

Cults of the Blood Gods is a new style of sourcebook for Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition that introduces the pernicious horror of twisted beliefs. Designed for players and Storytellers, this supplement will include:

Scary, esoteric vampiric cults used in modern nights that include churches, heresies, and warring dogmas.

Kindred cults and faiths built around methuselah worship, including holy rites, in-character texts, and religious tracts.

Setting, advice, and rules to play the Hecata, the Clan of Death.

The manuscript for Cults of the Blood Gods is currently being written and developed using the new Vampire: The Masquerade Fifth Edition rules. A Kickstarter is planned for a prestige edition of this supplement and is expected to launch sometime in 2019. Standard digital and print editions will be released following fulfillment of the Kickstarter.

About Onyx Path Publishing: Founded in 2012, Onyx Path Publishing is a Pennsylvania-based company dedicated to the development of exemplary, immersive worlds. Working with a group of amazingly talented creators, we explore print, electronic and other forms of media distribution to make our products available to our fans. With over 25 years of publishing experience from which to draw, we are industry professionals who love the art of the game and plan to continue making meaningful, innovative contributions in the years to come.

On the web: www.theonyxpath.com Twitter: @theonyxpath Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheOnyxPath Press Contact: Monica Valentinelli Email Address: [email protected]

About White Wolf Entertainment

White Wolf Entertainment is a licensing company focused on creating the best participatory brands in the world. Since its original entry into the roleplaying game market in 1991, White Wolf’s World of Darkness has grown to be one of the most recognized and successful brands in the hobby game space with collective book sales in excess of 10 million copies during this time. White Wolf’s World of Darkness brands, which include Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Wraith: The Oblivion, and Orpheus, as well as other universes such as Exalted and Chronicles of Darkness, have been licensed for television series, video games, interactive media events, and a myriad of merchandise and other entertainment products.

On the web: www.white-wolf.com Twitter: @wwpublishing Facebook: www.facebook.com/whitewolfpublishing Press contact: [email protected]

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#Onyx Path Publishing

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melonbear51 · 1 year

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VTM V5′s Cult of Shalim, the concept of Holy Darkness, and its ingenious (and respectful!) connections to Judaism

So for the past year or so I have fallen head-first into the World of Darkness and have been studying up on the amazing lore present. I recently got my hands on the Vampire: The Masquerade v5 supplement, “Cult of The Blood Gods.” The book as a whole is an amazing guide to vampiric religions, cults, and ideologies, but one of the most intriguing sections for me was the section on abyss-obsessed Cult of Shalim. (This is going to be long, probably formatted horribly, and a bit rambling, but I promise I have a point). For those of you who aren’t aware, I’m Jewish. Well, Jew-ish; I was raised in a rather secular home, and while I observe the big holidays, I have always considered myself more culturally Jewish. I’ve been reading up more on my faith though, in an attempt to connect more to my heritage and traditions. Now, I’d noticed when looking at Jewish prayers and such that light plays a big part in Judaism (I’m not scholar here, so if anyone wishes to correct me please do so). We praise the light of God, praise God for fashioning light, ask to enjoy its splendor, etc. We also, of course, have Hanukkah, the festival of lights. So when I read “Cult of The Blood Gods” and saw The Cult of Shalim being tied to Judaism via the character of Rabbi Basaras and the Hebrew in the name, I was confused.

Then I accidentally stumbled into articles on the Ayin-Yesh, the Ein Sof, and Tzimtzum, important concepts in Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, and the connection hit me like a truck. I reiterate, I am no expert on Judaism as I am still learning, and VERY MUCH NOT AN EXPERT on the complicated subject of Kabbalah, but this is some fascinating stuff and I’m going to try and explain my mental connections.

The Ayin-Yesh, Ein Sof, and Tzimtzum

To give a very basic (and probably underdeveloped) summary on the Ayin-Yesh and Ein Sof, the Ayin is considered to be the nothingness from which our universe or “something” (Yesh) emerged. Inhabiting, or being present alongside, the Ayin is the Ein Sof: the immaterial manifestation of God before God manifested themselves as part of creation. Ein Sof is also associated with the concept of infinity and endlessness. The Ein-Sof and Ayin are often tied together due to the proximity of the primordial nothingness and the immaterial form of God. Additionally, God is said to have created the world by Tzimtzum, or contracting, to create a vacant, hollow, conceptual space from which to craft the world.

In other words...

HOLY DARKNESS/NOTHINGNESS IS VERY MUCH A CONCEPT IN JEWISH MYSTICISM! The Cult of Shalim, spearheaded by the faith-shrouded Lasombra, who worship and wish to rejoin the abyss, oblivion and nothingness, would naturally find this concept and use it for their own purposes in order to justify their twisted agenda.

While you could discredit this as being a coincidence, I very much doubt it! I think Renegade Games did their research, and managed to take steps to tie the very Catholic-coded Lasombra to another faith in a very cool way. I also applaud them for providing more Jewish representation and opening the door for more Jewish characters, both good and evil.

Think about it! You could have a Jewish Hunter: The Reckoning character who saw their temple become corrupted by the Shalimites and decided to fight against it. You could have a corruptor figure like Rabbi Basaras. You could have a vampire character who is desperately in search of something to believe in after the embrace, only to slowly fall into this perversion hidden under the mask of an Abrahamic faith. To all those who’ve read this, thank you very much. For the rest, here’s a TLDR: The Cult of Shalim from “VTM V5′S Cult of The Blood God” ’s ideologies draw from Jewish mysticism in a way that perfectly compliment the Lasombra’s penchant for taking advantage of mortal faith, while also opening the door for more Jewish characters. If anyone with a more knowledge on Judaism and Kabbalah would like to contribute or correct me, please don’t hesitate!

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yamayuandadu · 2 years

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Could you talk about Shalim and Shahar? I'm assuming there's not that much about them, but I think they sound interesting. I'm also curious about whether the info on their Wikipedia pages is accurate.

Yeah, sure thing. Shahar's just about the Bible so of course it is not accurate. Imagine if Siris' page was about tracking down every time the common word "wine" appears in the Bible! Shalim's has an absolute abomination in it, "likely Asherah (Athirat or Anat)," this level of depraved longing for full interchangeability of goddesses (coupled here with illiteracy) frankly should result in social shunning at this point. I'm tired of fixing it. I'm tired of it being present even in peer reviewed publications. Granted, in Ugarit studies this longing is so strong even male deities get hit by it, for example mr. N. Wyatt is apparently obsessed with proving Yarikh is El which to me seems like an echo of these christian fundie “moon god Allah” graphics which were all the rage in the Bush era, I genuinely can’t think of any other explanation for this nonsense existing. While I've seen MUCH worse, and honestly you can find 10x worse on wikipedia (which is part of why I did not really put these particularly high in my queue), both articles are weak because they are unconcerned with material evidence. You can't write a good article about a deity until you spent some time reading something like "grain distribution statistics from the Umma province" is what I firmly believe. A good term to use to describe Shahar and Shalim in Ugarit would be "sort of irrelevant." Shahar never appears on his own, only as Shalim's cognomen. Shalim does receive offerings alone in some of the KTUs (Keilalphabetische Texte aus Ugarit, the most common designation for Ugaritic text, next to RS, which just stands for Ras Shamra) but as far as I know he's often near the very end, alongside deified instruments and censers. I think he also gets livers a few times, no clue if this indicates anything specific though (liver was the favored type of organ for divination, fwiw). As a pair, they appear in a single myth which is considered particularly confusing and gets regularly retranslated so the only things which we can say for certain is that both are children of El and that they are voracious (?). That "globetrotting" ritual text where deities are invoked from their cult centers just places them in the heavens rather than in any specific city or mountain like most of the rest.

The Akkadian cognate of Shahar, Šērum, had a bit more clout. He has no twin, though. Also, he inexplicably appears in the Nippur god list with grain deities, though followed by Tiranna (Manzat) and Mahdianna (Kabta), who are obviously astral. Interestingly, a description of his statue would indicate he was not antropomorphic: he had wings, the forelegs of a bovine, the body of a lion, and the face of a man. Interestingly, it is possible that the name of Ashur's... daughterwife (they were already arguing if she's his wife or daughter in the Neo-Assyrian period!)... Šerūʾa either was derived from the same root or received a folk etymology based on it. Gebhard Selz also thinks the "Sumerian" counterpart of Aya, Sherida, was derived from the same word, and personally I find his argument sound, though note it is not universally accepted, see here.

#ugaritic miscellanea #mesopotamian miscellanea

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