Evernight Shade
Artist: Nic Klein
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Odd Moon-related Connections in Genshin Lore
- Glaze Lillies and Nilotpala Lotuses only bloom at night
- Glaze Lillies may have been the favorite flower of Guizhong, who’s hair was grey/white and who’s outfit had stardust on it (she was the god of dust, so unless she was a god of stardust specifically that’s some odd things about her)
- Nilotpala Lotuses bloomed at the bleeding feet of the Goddess of Flowers after being cast out of Heaven in the wake of the Seelie disaster
- There is at least one account in Sumeru that claims Liloupar came to the people in a moonbeam. Quote: “Our prayers to the Goddess of Flowers have borne fruit. Her envoy came to us in a moonbeam, granting us life-saving medicine and clean water … …She called herself Liloupar, born of the lilies” and later in that same passage, Quote: “At moonrise, she warned us that the water from the canal may carry disease.” So many mentions of the moon in one text about Liloupar and her relation to the Goddess of Flowers.
- Seelies seem to have a moonlit sky with sparse clouds reflected in their bodies, the bright orb in their heads looks like a moon.
- Guizhong’s death produced a cloud of dust that blocks out the sky and creates a darkened area in Liyue.
- Istaroth was said to be responsible for the Sin Shades, who only show up in Evernight in the dark.
- Nahida has some moon connections in her titles, and she has white hair and pale skin, like Paimon, who has a starry pattern on her scarf like Guizhong had on her robes.
- The Goddess of Flowers built a city for her offspring, the Jinn, and she called it Ay-Khanoum, translated to English that’s the City of the Moon Maiden.
- You can link the mythologies of the Goddess of Flowers and King Deshret to King Solomon and Astarte, who was a version of Ishtar, who is the root for the name Istaroth
- The power of the Aranara is the power of dreams, they exist in the dreamscape. And with how much we use a harp to connect with Aranara, it’s just as likely that music is linked to dreams. And Venti, one of Istaroth’s thousand winds, is a bard who knows all songs past and future, and plays a harp.
- The moon sisters were named Aria, Sonnet, and Canon, literally musical terminology.
- There’s probably a connection between the three moon sisters and Teyvat’s concepts of Time, Memory, and Dreams
- One of Venti’s powers is that he can pull up memories from the far flung past
- The quest for Time and Wind has these sun dial looking things that are actually moon dials since the puzzle only activates at night
- Seelies make a jingling tune, Nahida makes a jingling tune, the Goddess of Flowers taught Rukkhadevata the “source song” which birthed the race of Aranara, and the Pari fought the abyss using the Great Songs of the Khavarena, which seem to summon pure elemental energy aligned with Dendro.
- One of the fairytales that was weirdly important to the Abyss Order before we learned that fairy tales could hold the truth about the past if it’s been rewritten/deleted in Irminsul was the Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies. I’ve already noted a few pale characters with crowns or royal status but there was also a character called the Night Mother, who seemed to be the villain of the story. Another odd Night connection.
- Andersdotter wrote The Boar Princess, her signature rose design is on the cover. A rose is also on the cover of The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies, so could she have written that too? As a member of the Hexenzirkel, it’s pretty likely.
- The Seelies were said to be beautiful pale people, and Rukkhadevata is pale with white hair, as is Nahida. Another trait they share are elf ears. Klee is pale with fair hair, and she’s an elf; from what we know of Alice, her mom, she could look much the same. Although he’s old, Pulcinella of the Fatui Harbingers is also an elf with white hair and pale skin, fitting the description. Seelies are fairies, and elves in real world folklore are considered fae, so could the Seelies have given us the elf race in Genshin? Or the Moon Sisters, who presided over the Seelies? Elves seem to be as long lived as gods, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
- I think Aria, Sonnet, and Canon represented Memories, Time, and Dreams, symbolizing the past, present, and future respectively. I don’t know the order of the goddesses in their roles, but I do know they had a fight and two died, leaving only one, and wouldn’t it be something if that surviving moon goddess became Istaroth, the god of Time? Maybe even Irminsul came from the death of the moon goddess of Memory? I don’t know what could’ve happened to the goddess of Dreams, but maybe her death caused the constellations that are canonically made up of the crystalline fruits of Irminsul in the sky box of the Firmament.
(If I could post more than 10 pictures I would but you have the internet, you can look up photos of the stuff I’m talking about.)
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Destroy Your Suffering
An exploration of karma and Buddhism through Wanderer’s arc
Rise and Fall of an Artificial God
Scaramouche and Watatsumi Island (as a collective identity) have a similar character arc.
Watatsumi people are descendants of Enkanomiya, who were part of the ancient unified civilization created by the Primordial One that fell to the bottom of the ocean between the realms of Light and Abyss.
They both were abandoned by a god:
Scaramouche believes he was discarded by Ei
The Enkanomiyans were, for some reason, forsaken by the Primordial One after they fell to the depths of the ocean
They both were granted divine power:
Scaramouche in the form of the electro gnosis he exchanged for the traveler’s life with Yae Miko
Istaroth, one of the four shining shades of the Primordial One, provided Aberaku with divine knowledge
They both used this divine power to create technology in order to surpass their limitations:
Scaramouche powered Shouki no Kami with the electro gnosis in order to become a god
Aberaku built the artificial sun, Helios, which gave birth to whitenight and evernight and allowed the nation to live comfortably and fend off the Bathysmal Vishaps
They both transformed this technology into a false object of divine worship:
Shouki no kami was built by Dottore and the Akademiya to become Sumeru’s man-made god
The political class of Enkanomiya manipulated their people into believing Helios was a real god
They both suffered until another god helped them out of compassion:
Nahida allowed Scaramouche to find out the truth about his past, and gave him another chance in life by returning his memories to him and taking him under her custody (although, whether as a prisoner or a disciple, who knows)
Orobashi agreed to become Enkanomiya’s new god and ended the tyrannical ruling of the Sun Children, then took the inhabitants to the surface
Their arrogance to appropriate divinity, one way or another, has consequences for both:
After realizing his actions were unjustified, the puppet feels guilt over being unable to help those he cared about in his first “incarnation”, to a point he tries to atone by erasing his existence from Irminsul.
On the other hand, the corrupt reign of the Sun Children motivated the inhabitants of Enkanomiya to seek Orobashi’s help, but in becoming their god he learned about forbidden ancient history told in the book Before Sun And Moon, and sacrificed himself in order to spare his people the punishment.
Aru: ”Watatsumi is pronounced guilty of the following sins: four counts of the sin of profanity, and a further eight counts for the sin of deceiving living souls.
Aru: This is my final task, which is to read this blessing. Its meaning is that Watatsumi Omikami is about to carry our transgressions and go to its death.
—from The Subterranian Trials of Drake and Serpent quest
Orobashi would then willingly fulfill the prophecy of his death when he and the Watatsumi soldiers —who were going through a famine due to the infertile conditions of Watatsumi soil— invaded Yashiori Island. This prompted a military response from the Shogunate that would end with the Raiden Shogun striking Watatsumi's god with the Musou no Hitotachi.
Unbeknownst to those involved in the battle, the slaying of the snake god would trigger a chain of events that would bring about pain and resentment, for both Watatsumi people and Scaramouche (among others).
The Chain of Resentment
The philosophy surrounding karma in Buddhism is based on the concept of cause and effect: each of our actions has a consequence, and whatever karma we accumulate in our life is carried into the next one in the cycle of rebirth.
Karma is not a rational thought, it’s the compulsive urge that motivates said actions, which means acting on these urges is a deliberate choice. However, these urges don't exist in isolation to the external conditions created by other people’s karma, that is to say, our existence and the way we live is also the effect of a cause that came before us.
"As a physician, I teach karma from a scientific point of view. I ask people to consider what happens to the physical elements of the body after they die. If we dug you[r corpse] up in ten years, the elements that made up the body [would] disperse and become other things. [So] If you die angry, what happens to that energy of anger?"
—What is Karma?, Jan Chozen Bays
We’re told in Liyue that the dreams and delusions of gods who are killed in battle outlive their physical forms, which is why the Yakshas are tasked with containing it and why Hu Tao’s family took it upon themselves to purify their remains with fire.
"These blazing rituals were especially commonplace during that ancient period of strife.
For the dreams and delusions of the silent corpses of gods would produce evil miasmas,
So the doctor took up that devilishly red staff, igniting all that was impure.
Those who have passed, unable to bear deep sadness, but who have since become shrouded by ill karma and calamity,
They shall be reduced to ashen butterflies in this flame, and receive relief from their misfortunes and hurts."
—Staff of Homa description
And so do the skeletal remains of Orobashi expel its own evil miasma in the form of the Tatarigami, which causes both physical illness and hallucinations to the inhabitants of Yashiori Island (when the protective wards aren’t working).
Even though Ei killed Orobashi with the intention to protect her nation (and it was a heavenly sentence he willingly accepted on behalf of Enkanomiya), Watatsumi people still resent her and the Shogunate for it —since she killed the god who brought their ancestors to the surface, after all. So much so, that when the civil war comes to an end, there are still soldiers who refuse to accept peace between the two factions.
Kouzen: Peace talks? Pfft... Everyone's been drawn in by the idea. That's why the future of Watatsumi Island is at stake. What's to stop the Tenryou Commission from stabbing us in the back? And what's to stop the Raiden Shogun from issuing another Vision Hunt Decree? We are the resistance! Everything hinges on our warrior's will! We can't trust the Tenryou Commission or the Raiden Shogun. But we can put faith in ourselves!
—from Kokomi’s story quest
They were even willing to use delusions, fully aware they were draining their life force, to their deaths if necessary.
Sangonomiya Kokomi: ...I have put out the order to seize all Delusions. The vast majority are showing some loss of vitality, but nothing serious. Sadly, a few have been... less fortunate…
Gorou: Your Excellency, I'm planning to establish a dedicated field hospital to monitor their condition. The soldiers are up in arms about the ban though. They know full well what a Delusion is, but they still intend to keep using them.
—from Omnipresence Over Mortals
The Fatui made these delusions with the remains of Orobashi, so essentially the Resistance weaponized the Tatarigami (made of Orobashi's karma) to channel the resentment that they felt for his death (their own karma).
Quite the symbolic way to represent how someone’s karma influences another’s in a chain of cause and effect.
It is curious then, that the Harbinger in charge of overseeing the distribution of delusions was none other than The Balladeer.
Can it really be just a coincidence how the paths of Scaramouche and Watatsumi people met at this crucial point in the story, through Orobashi's karma?
After all, Scaramouche's own life was affected by Orobashi's death as well.
Second betrayal:
The puppet known as Kabukimono integrated into the community of Tatarasuna with the help of locals involved in bladesmithing (Niwa, Katsuragi and Nagamasa), but he was later manipulated by Dottore into sacrificing himself, believing Niwa had betrayed him.
Tatarasuna was built as a means to dispose of Crystal Marrow, mined from Orobashi’s corpse, then bladesmiths started making Jade Steel to forge their weapons with it. The Fatui would eventually target Tatarasuna and its inhabitants to create conflict in the nation, and Dottore created the Mikage Furnace to concentrate the power of Tatarigami.
Third betrayal:
After leaving Tatarasuna, Kabukimono would take care of an orphaned child, but he later dies of the illness produced by Tatarigami.
Aftermath:
The puppet would then return years later under the identity of Kunikuzushi, murdering and intimidating the bladesmith clans as a revenge against Niwa —and possibly against the Raiden Shogun by eliminating the symbol of her martial power: the Raiden Gokaden.
This revenge would prompt some clan members to flee the nation, and one of them would end up taking a cursed sword which was granted a consciousness by the Tatarigami. This cursed sword then sought power to fulfill the will of its creator by committing a number of crimes until it met Kazuha, a descender of its creator’s clan.
The Kaedehara family had to give up the Isshin art after Kunikuzushi’s revenge, and by the time Kazuha inherited it there was nothing left of it, so he started a life of wandering.
And the Kamisato’s reputation would also be harmed in the process.
When individuals act on their karma, on these harmful impulses, it only generates more pain and leads into more resentment.
Dealing with pain in Buddhism
The main principle of Buddhist philosophy is to accept that suffering is a part of existence, both in physical pain and in the transient nature of pleasure: nothing lasts forever, and that includes things like physical health and positive feelings, but also the circumstances of suffering itself. Since everything is transitory, one should not hold onto neither pain, pleasure nor material existence.
”The practitioner seeks to understand his or her emotions and see their nature. When anger comes up, we try to look at ourselves and our anger in order to see the egolessness of our mind and the emptiness of that anger. Anger, as everything else, is not something solid, something truly and independently existing. Through this understanding, the negative emotions are counterbalanced and positive emotions gradually arise."
—Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha, Ringu Tulku
Ignorance is another form of suffering, in the way that people’s worldviews are flawed, so humans inherently cause pain to themselves and each other. If you don't know how to let go of your pain, whether it's things like grief or anger, you might choose to deal with them in harmful ways. Buddhism also accepts this is the nature of the world, with humans who inflict pain on others due to their ignorance. This isn't meant to be an excuse for people's actions, everyone makes their own choices, but rather a way for people to understand pain has no purpose, so fixating on what originates it will only cause the person more harm.
Something I find interesting about the Inazuma chapter (I’m not sure about the other nations) is they seem to use characters of divine/supernatural nature as foils for characters who are humans. Both embody certain principles or philosophies, but the divine character is depicted in a symbolic or allegorical way, and the human character depicted with a more realistic approach.
Case in point: Raiden Ei and Kazuha with Buddhist doctrines.
Ei’s character arc throughout the archon quest and her story quests revolve around her accepting she can’t sacrifice herself eternally just to ensure the physical survival of her nation. Her pursuit of eternity was not dogmatic, she didn’t believe it was superior to transient existence; she just didn’t want her nation to be in danger of destruction for trespassing the boundaries set by the Heavenly Principles, like Khaenri’ah did.
She also symbolizes the concepts of “no-self” and “no-mind” through her meditation in the Plane of Euthymia.
Kazuha, on the other hand, was able to let go of his personal burdens to live a life of inner peace. His family was a victim of the Raiden Gokaden incident and by the time he inherited the clan it was in ruins, so instead of holding onto this pain and the misfortune that accompanied his following journeys, he decided to accept life as it was and only focus on the positive.
Buddhism is separated into three major paths of practice, three “vehicles” as they call it. Theravada is the oldest surviving school after the death of the Buddha, then Mahayana was made as an alternative branch by practitioners who believed the purpose of enlightenment should be to help others find their own enlightenment as well.
Mahayana is the branch that spread largely through East Asia, reaching Japan in the 6th century where it would syncretize (“mix”) with the indigenous religion of Japanese people (Shinto).
A person or deity who reaches enlightenment but still stays in the illusory material world is known as a Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.
"In the Mahayana schools of Buddhist teaching, there is greater emphasis on becoming enlightened for the sake of all beings, rather than simply to liberate oneself. The path for this is the Bodhisattva path of the Mahayana. The Theravadan path culminates with becoming an Arhat. The Mahayana also emphasizes embracing the illusion with love, where traditionally the Theravadin discipline distances from the samsaric illusion in order to awaken."
—Vajrayana Buddhism: Beliefs, Meditations, and Practices, Lama Döndrup
In this sense, Ei functions as a deity who has transformed into a Bodhisattva herself, symbolizing certain core aspects of Buddhist teachings, while Kazuha embodies the practices in realistic down-to-earth ways.
Ei and Kazuha found their own way to enlightenment by letting go of their pain through practices inspired by Mahayana Buddhist doctrines, but is this kind of healing through such passive means even possible for most?
After all, not everyone can be a self sacrificing bodhisattva like Ei or overcome suffering like Kazuha. Sometimes a person’s suffering is met with anything but compassion, and it creates resentment that can lead people into self-destructive paths of accumulated karma.
Sometimes the idea of letting go of anger at what has been done to someone is impossible. Scaramouche and Watatsumi Island are proof of this.
Enter Vajrayana Buddhism
Vajrayana (also known as Esoteric or Tibetan) is the third major branch of the “vehicles” of Buddhism, it was created from Mahayana Buddhism so they share the same purpose. The difference is Vajrayana uses tantras and rituals alongside meditation.
It has the same compassionate deities in the form of Bodhisattvas, but in addition they also worship fierce or “wrathful” deities called the Wisdom Kings.
"In contrast to the saintly images of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, images of the [Wisdom Kings] are ferocious and menacing, for their threatening postures and facial expressions are designed to subdue evil spirits and convert nonbelievers. They are often depicted engulfed in flames, which according to Buddhist lore, represent the purification of the mind by the burning away of all material desires."
—Godai Myō-ō - Five Great Kings
Mahayana is largely practiced in Japan, but the Vajrayana school did make it into the country and became known as Shingon and Tendai Buddhism.
These schools have special worship for one of these wrathful deities: Acala also known as Fudō in Japanese, who is depicted with a lotus flower in his head (like Wanderer's hat).
Fudō functions as a symbol of enlightenment through destruction, he's a deity who destroys your suffering and ignorance (the obstacles for enlightenment) and converts anger into salvation.
The fire ritual of Homa (known as Goma in Japanese), the same one referenced in Staff of Homa, is performed in different religions in Asia, but in Japan the deity that's invoked in it is precisely Fudō. The purifying fire represents the god's wisdom and the firewood burnt in the fire represents the source of suffering.
A puppet consumed by a raging fire will leave behind ashes. As for what will emerge from them…
—Wanderer’s “About: Puppet” voiceline
Wanderer takes its inspiration from this school of Japanese Buddhism. For example, his signature weapon (Tulaytullah's Remembrance) is designed to look like a Ghanta, a classic ritual symbol of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Both the worship of Fudō and the Goma rituals are also practiced in Shugendō, a highly syncretic religion made out of multiple existing religions and traditions that reached Japan, and is closely associated with the Shingon and Tendai sects of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Wanderer's outfit is inspired on a Shugendō monk.
Destruction as a means for healing
One thing that fascinates me about his character is that anger is justified as a rightful result of trauma through his arc. This is also shortly addressed through Nahida, since it's precisely anger at what the sages have done to her that allows her to escape her dream prison, but she's an all compassionate god, so she won't indulge anger much. Scara, on the other hand, doesn't neglect his even after his anemofication.
I once thought that deification would allow me to get rid of all of my pointless emotions, but I’ve since abandoned that view.
Anger, whether it be from others or myself, is too convenient and useful as a tool.
How can some people just never become angry? I find that impossible to even imagine. Do they just not have a single mean bone in their bodies?
—Wanderer’s ”More About Him III” voiceline
It almost feels like he’s shading Ei and Kazuha, who follow this principle of Mahayana Buddhism as a form of dealing with their pain. Especially Ei, who —much like he initially intended with his deification— also kept herself in a state of emotional neutrality inside the Plane of Euthymia.
As the audience of a fictional story, however, having a character overcome their pain (whether resentment, grief, anger, etc) through passive acceptance like that just isn't as cathartic as validating their suffering through action.
It's interesting and validating in its own way, but y'know, it's not Scara standing in front of Shouki no Kami, the personification of his own pain, and obliterating it with a smile on his face. It just hits different.
And suffering in Vajrayana is dealt with in a different manner than Mahayana:
Following the Vajrayana teachings, we do not give up or reject anything; rather we make use of whatever is there. We look at our negative emotions and accept them for what they are. Then we relax in this state of acceptance. Using the emotion itself, it is transformed or transmuted into the positive, into its true face. When, for instance, strong anger or desire arises, a Vajrayana practitioner is not afraid of it. Instead he or she would follow advice along the following lines: Have the courage to expose yourself to your emotions. Do not reject or suppress them, but do not follow them either.
The negative emotions themselves are used. The process is almost like using poison as medicine.
—Daring Steps: Traversing the Path of the Buddha, Ringu Tulku
When Wanderer faces his pain and sins in the form of Shouki no Kami, a larger than life robot that starts attacking him and traveler, it petrifies him. He's struggling to come to his senses, and yells with anger "All worthless dross will be purged, thats why... this won't be the end!" as he reaches out for his past incarnation.
Then an explosion occurs and when the smoke fades, Wanderer stands firm with the new vision he’s acquired. A battle between the two ensues, which Wanderer eventually wins.
This is nothing like Kazuha's quiet acceptance, and nothing like Ei's patient meditation. There's rage, there's violence, and even a bit of fire. Just like the symbolic destruction of pain carried out by Fudō.
Wanderer does not let go of his pain, he destroys it.
His anger is redirected into a form of self advancement that allows him to overcome his suffering.
The allegorical approach of Buddhist doctrines portrayed through Wanderer is paralleled by the more down-to-earth resolution of Watatsumi’s conflict:
Kokomi also finds a way to redirect the resentment of the Watatsumi soldiers into a path of self advancement. The soldiers understand their intentions to take these urges into action against the Shogunate are wrong, but they don't know what to do with their feeling.
And so Kokomi doesn't punish them, instead she lets them form a special division where they will train not for revenge, but for the protection of their people. The rage is not quelled, the violence is not stopped, just redirected into actions for collective and personal well being.
Sangonomiya Kokomi: It was largely an oversight on my part: I taught you to nurture a warrior's will, but never how to let it go.
Tadakatsu: It's not your fault, Your Excellency! It was ours... our selfishness. Either way, we are ready to accept sentencing under martial law.
Sangonomiya Kokomi: Very well. Then I hereby declare... that as of today, I am founding a new Secret Corps of the army. This division will be responsible for keeping Watatsumi Island safe and secure, neutralizing any and all threats to the peace of our island. You and your comrades will all be welcome to join - but be warned, the training will be grueling. Perseverance and grit will be in high demand.
—from Kokomi’s story quest
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New article on Phantom Manor Legends' website. My review of the novel 'The Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade" by Claudia Gray. English version available below the french text.
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april tbr post yayy
rereads are marked by a ☆, new reads are marked by a ♡, and new acquisitions are bolded
physical tbr: 20
what moves the dead - t. kingfisher ♡
an education in malice - s. t. gibson ♡
juilet takes a breath - gabby rivera ♡
stories of people and civilization, greek ancient origins - lindsay powell, j. k. jackson ♡
rebel girls - elizabeth keenan ♡
the silent stars go by - dan abbet ♡
touched by an angel - johnathan morris ♡
dracula - bram stoker ♡
dune - frank herbert ♡
dune messiah - frank herbert ♡
frankenstein - mary shelley ♡
sense and sensibility - jane austen ♡
hippie - barry miles ♡
evernight - claudia gray ☆
stargazer - claudia gray ♡
the handmaids tale - margaret atwood ☆
the testaments - margaret atwood ♡
aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the
universe - benjamin alire sáenz ☆
would-be witch - kimberly frost ☆
the ballad of songbirds and snakes - suzanne collins ☆
digital tbr: 2
pandora's jar: women in the greek myths - natalie haynes ♡
wild is the witch - rachel griffin ♡
read: 7
a million kisses in your lifetime - monica murphy - dnf
i got like 80 pages in and then just,,, could not continue. no shade if u liked this book it was just solidly, solidly not my thing.
my monster valentine - various authors - 3/5
debated putting this on here for obvious reasons but i neeeeed to be accurate i guess. i only read about half of the stories in this collection and they were pretty hit or miss. it was free though so yk. vibes.
high spirits - camille gomera-tavarez - 2.5/5
this book was pretty alright! i don't have much to say about it (hence the middling rating) but i would reccomend it if you're looking for a fast read :D
the coldest touch - isabel sterling - 4/5
THIS WAS SO CUUUUTTTTTEEEEE!!! i liked the way the author portrayed the genuine hell that being stuck at 17 would be. please get me out of here i want a fully developed frontal lobe. AW and all of the characters were super likable. truly so adorable i was squealing the whole time.
im knocking a point off for the romance being a littttllllleeeee rushed and the character descriptions feeling off (it felt odd that both pov characters categorized every single person into a specific race? i think its good practice to make a characters race clear, but idk if that applies to a random teacher with no dialogue). to be so real though i loved this book enough that it didn't bother me too much.
beastly & bookish - catrina bell - 5/5
did i finish this book in one sitting? yes. did i stay up until 1am doing that? ...mind your business. honestly, im maybeee being a little bit generous giving this 5 stars but !! i really liked it!!! rom was soo mecore. i'm excited to read the rest of the books in this collection (even though they're all christmasy), and i can't wait for my physical copy to get here!!
holly's unjolly christmas - lark green - 2/5
this book was truly just fine. like, the definition of pretty alright. the tropes weren't my thing and the romance felt wildly rushed, but the writing style was easy to read and there were some funny bits. i also felt like the demon characters fell pretty flat? idk felt mid overall. (tbh the highlights of this book were when rom and noelle showed up. my babiesssss)
holidays ablaze - lucy limon - 3/5
v cute 👍 i love samite he's so autistic 💗
last months goal: finish dune
hmm ok. so i did not finish dune. i don't know why i thought i could. whatever possessed me to believe i could finish an 800 page sci-fi book in one month was truly of the devil herself. what the fuck. that was a blatant temptation towards hubris and I FELL FOR IT. anyways i hit 300 pages. everyone clap.
this months goal: finish a re-read
i have a lot of books i'd like to re-read but!!! i just never get around to it!!!! there r always newer shinier books that grab my attention!! i'd also like to carve away a more sizable chunk of my physical tbr this month because i have officially run out of space on my bookshelf TwT. everything is so so crammed in there, i truly cannot afford any more physical books. public library here i come!!
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Thoughts on Starfinder’s Pact Worlds Setting
So I went back and bought the Pact Worlds sourcebook as well, because the hints of the setting from the Core Rulebook were intriguing. I have not regretted it. There is an awful lot of fun stuff in here. I’m only partway through, but some thoughts so far:
The Sun is fucking cool. Even just the option that the sun is an interactable location in the system is fantastic. The Burning Archipelago is such a cool setting element and idea. I love Verdeon so much, this bubble city given over to horticulture and pleasure gardens in the surface of a star. A giant greenhouse with floating planting platforms, some angled straight into the sun’s burning light for extreme heat-thriving plants, and others angled outward into space for more shade-loving plants. Beautiful pleasure gardens, again, hanging inside a star. It’s fantastic.
Also, continuing the theme of solar horticulture, the NatuReal corporation with its orbital jungle boxes full of plant monsters and incredibly well-protected corporate HQ-slash-company-town in Fireside would make a great villain for an adventure. Investigating the oopsies in the jungle boxes and trying to figure out if there’s a more sinister pattern underlying what’s going dark (or a PC/NPC character who survived one of the ‘going dark’ incidents and wants revenge-slash-answers) could wind up with a party trying to do a heist on a fortified corporate HQ inside a fucking bubble city floating in the sun. Which, let’s be real, would be fun.
(If this has shown up already in an adventure, feel free to tell me!)
Verces is also really fucking cool. It’s not the planet I thought would be as cool as it is, but there’s a lot to work with on Verces. The whole tidally-locked thing, and the wildly diverse landscapes and timescapes that enables, are amazing. The perpetually night Darkside and the viciously sun-seared Fullbright, with the full cyberpunk equator-spanning city-belt in the middle, are a spectacular way to get a lot things going on on the same world. You’ve got full on (genuine, entirely literal) Mad Max, Warlords of Barsoom going on in one corner, cyberpunk terrorist shenanigans in the middle, and then John Carpenter’s The Thing on the other.
My horror-loving heart probably does love the Darkside best, naturally. This frozen evernight wasteland of ice and blood. The artificial lights of mining rigs and industrial platforms looming out of the ice and the darkness. The horrific creatures out on the ice who’ll bind you alive inside their bodies and slowly drain you of blood while you still live. The fucking cenobite monastery of terrifying ascetics who let frostbite eat their limbs so that they can be wired directly and bodily into starship drive systems. Verces’ Darkside is less Hoth, and more The Thing meets Event Horizon meets Hellraiser meets Chronicles of Riddick. I’m vibrating. It’s incredible.
(Sidenote: I’m not sure on the timing here, but is it possible the Starfinder writers were taking some notes from Sunless Sea/Skies? There’s a couple of things on Verces that give me definite Unterzee vibes. Lempro and the intis in particular give me Whither/Codex vibes. There’s a lot of influences apparent in Starfinder, I’m catching pieces of so many of my favourite sci-fi/horror/fantasy canons, so I’m just idly wondering)
The Diaspora may well be my favourite of all the Pact Worlds. If you want space. That full kind of working-class SF, roguish SF, asteroid miners and smugglers flying junkers and the wrecks of derelict starships, the Diaspora is for you. The Expanse, Alien, Event Horizon. Godfall from Sunless Sea. The Millennium Falcon accidentally hiding inside the maw of an asteroid worm. Magnetic Rose. Captain Harlock/Queen Emeraldas. If you want to find strange objects and eldritch mysteries floating silently in space. If you want space pirate outpost-cities hidden in asteroids. If you want starship nomads on mobile trade and repair outposts servicing miners and outlaws. If you want vast mining facilities hanging gently in space. If you want underground slave-liberation movements hiding in the ‘mountains’ (asteroids) away from civilisation. If you want vast ship’s graveyards inexplicably bundled around innocuous points in space. The Diaspora has it all. It’s incredible. I would play a whole game that was just dootling around the Diaspora doing odd jobs and stumbling into horrifying mysteries. If Paizo ever wanted to make a Starfinder video game, set it here. I will play it.
Within the Diaspora, The Hum is so fucking good. Look. Vast fields of wrecked and disabled ships orbiting around a weird anomaly in space that makes them lethal to go near is a trope, it’s a fucking good trope, I love it a whole hell of a lot. A madness inducing anomaly that pulls people in and makes it near-impossible to escape is a fantastic mystery to just put there. Can you do anything with it? Maybe not, not survivably, but it’s an excellent thing to just have be there, a known weirdness and danger to shipping, a piece of the lore of a place.
I also really, really love the Farabarrium. A ratfolk trade and salvage barge made from a salvaged warship that they just took over, there’s vibes of Star Wars Legends in there, but also just … Ysoki are one of my favourite races, and them just operating a stolen/salvaged mobile garage/gas station out of a repurposed dead warship in this backwater area of space does something happy for me.
The fact that the Diaspora has significant quantities of ysoki, dwarves and sarcesians, three species that are rapidly coming to be my favourites, also does not hurt its place in my internal rankings. There’s a lot of just good stuff in the Diaspora. Mystic rivers that flow inexplicably through space. Rat-run flying petrol stations. Vacuum-capable player races with solar wings. Monasteries that are not-so-secretly worshipping Nyarlathotep. Strange wailing insane asylums/prisons that drive people insane and may involve the King in Yellow. Dwarven asteroid-cities. Robot liberation movements. The Diaspora is such a perfect intersection of so many things I like. It wins. It has to win.
But I still have six planets to go, so maybe we’ll see. Heh. This is a very fun setting. Also, I suspect I may be showing my tastes in fiction over here.
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hi do you have a rec for a book where the heroine is like, nice and polite because Society™ but is bottling up her rage and the hero helps her let out the rage/emotions? preferably historical but i'll take anything!
Yes!
I've been recommending it a lot, but... this is For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale. The heroine is a widowed princess who keeps a very icily polite and cold surface (maybe not nice, lol, but very in keeping with her societal role), and the hero helps her get in touch not only with her anger but her grief as well. So good, with such a unique heroine.
Joss and The Countess by S.M. LaViolette has shades of this. The heroine is a widow who was horribly treated by her husband (TW lots of discussions of sexual abuse in the book) and Joss is her bodyguard as she roams the city trying to meet someone who will take her to bed and make her feeeel. Turns out Joss can make her feel (and she's super into being dominated by him, naturally).
Melissa and The Vicar by S.M. LaVioette is another one you might want to try, and it comes first, I think? Melissa is a madame who now runs her own brothel but was sold into sex work at a very young age (TW). She goes to this village because her health, largely due to stress, has taken a turn. She keeps up a very polite and professional mask for friends, patrons, etc, but she meets this virginal vicar guy who just unlocks something vulnerable in her and allows her to really feel and vent about all the shit she's been through over her life.
Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt SOOO has this vibe. The heroine is a society widow who's known for being like, very fashionable, very of high society. She's super polite and puts on a good show, and even takes care of her late husband's bastard child (though she herself is infertile and suffered a lot of miscarriages and suffers deeep down because of it). The hero, again a virgin lol, allows her to really let it all out--her anger, her pain, etc. There's one scene where he like basically holds her in his lap and strokes her hair and her back while she just loses her shit and I love it SO MUCH.
I meeeean lol Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath definitely has this. Olivia was really dissatisfied in her marriage, among other things, but kept it together because she was the duchess, and Jack empowers her to express her feelings more openly. She actually has a majorly defiant streak, and he triggers that.
Non-historical:
Evernight by Kristen Callihan. This is a Victorian supernatural, and one of my favorite Darkest London books. The heroine has the ability to manipulate metal, and she's this very removed, cool woman; she was used by a big villain to create this like... clockwork heart dealy situation for this guy who's essentially a vampire/demon, and having it in his chest and being this monster, basically, has driven him out of his mind. (He was previously very rakish and fun-loving.) He goes to get her to make her fix it, and she can't immediately, but touching her relieves his agony so he's like "well, I guess we're stuck together until you fix me". She's uptight, he's wild, they end up going on this whole adventure thing and also have very impetuous and poorly-planned sex on like, an exam room table thing, her name is Holly Evernight and even before they're vaguely romantic he calls her "my Evernight" it's GREAT.
No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole. Lol, this is less "she's nice" but big on the "bottled emotions" thing. The heroine is a valkyrie who hunts vampires, and she's known as "Kaderin the Cold-Hearted" because she just can't feel emotion due to the loss of her sisters centuries before. She goes to kill this vampire, and it turns out he's basically a giant nerd who's had sex like exactly twice and lives in his big castle reading books and not hurting anyone. She still wants to kill him, but they end up dry humping on the floor instead, and then she's like "OH NO WHAT IS THIS FEELING???" and runs off. He understandably is all "you don't meet a woman like that every dynasty" and chases her, determined to make her feel a feeling lmao.
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April 14th
Lyrics:
April 14th,
and the sabbath is near.
The ground is trembling,
weakened by the longest winter.
These are the last steps
of the frost giants
as they leave.
An April moon is rising
as the trees turn to rust.
Killing season comes in shades of gray.
An April moon is rising
as the spring turns to dust.
We lie down to a howling sound
as the world is slowly coming down.
Bless me, ghosts of winter,
for you have made me stronger
to face this day and evernights.
Further North our paths will go!
South is burning,
east is vast, west is dying fast.
But as I leave my heart holds no fear,
I know there's nothing from here.
An April moon is rising
as the trees turn to rust.
Killing season comes in shades of gray.
An April moon is rising
as the spring turns to dust.
We lie down to a howling sound…
On the altar of endless snow,
on a deep glacier's glow we prepare our graves.
Here under the north star I will sleep away
to the deep hum of your icy womb.
April 14th,
and death is here.
The tide has finally turned.
The ground is trembling,
weakened by the longest winter.
These are the last steps of the
frost giants as they leave.
But my heart holds no fear
for I know there's nothing from here.
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Book female character: I can do it on my own.
Me : yasss bitch!!
Book female character: "runs to her love interest and her character development leaves the chat"
Me : no bitch!!
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» Exploring Enkanomiya
Summary: What it’d be like to explore enkanomiya with them
Character(s): Klee, Childe, Xingqiu, Venti, Shenhe, Xiao, Diluc, Sara, Itto, Xinyan, Ayaka, Kaeya, Gorou, Eula, Bennett, Hu Tao
Warning(s): Not proofread as always, can be read as either platonic or romantic (Klee’s is strictly platonic), a few curse words, mention of death, lmk if there’s more
A/N: Yeah I’m just gonna pretend that I haven’t been gone for more than a month and give you all this
mf tried to ride the floating manta ray and fell to their death (sky players who also play genshin i’m talking about you)
CHILDE, xingqiu, venti, ITTO, bennett
keeps changing the day between evernight and whitenight when you’re trying to solve a puzzle
xingqiu, HU TAO, klee, kaeya
on guard 24/7, they become aggressive to anything that dare to come close to the both of you
shenhe, XIAO, diluc, sara, eula
screamed (and probably ran away) when they saw the shades of tokoyo for the first time
ITTO, ayaka, xinyan, GOROU
blew up everything they see, enkanomiya is no more
klee
© yuchiyo
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Evernight Shade
Artist: Nic Klein
TCG Player Link
Scryfall Link
EDHREC Link
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Katsumi - Voicelines
Main Profile
Hello: “Mas.. Who? My name is Katsumi! Don’t mind me, just passing through the area! See you around.”
Chat 1, Night: “Hm.. Night time.. I wonder if.. No. Never mind.”
Chat 2, Day: “Ah the sun! Wonderful. Let’s get this done, shall we! No idling around, haha.”
When it Rains: “My tails are never happy when it rains.. I personally don’t mind the rain at all! But man, I hate brushing these things sometimes..”
When Lightning Strikes: “Apparently this is common these days. Ah well, we mustn’t let it deter us! Onwards.”
When it’s Windy: “Dandelion, Dandelion, ride the wind to a faraway land….”
Good Morning: “As the sun shines, so do I. Good morning, Traveler. Lovely weather we’re having, hm?!”
Good Afternoon: “Lunch time! Cool. Want to go get fried tofu with me? What? Kitsunes love Inarizushi!”
Good Evening: “Night is quickly approaching.. Be wary of the darkness. You never know what lurks out there, hm..”
Good Night: “He’s here.. No, they’re here. They’re here. Quiet now, Traveler. I have to go. Good night.”
About Katsumi: “I promise I’m not all that interesting, ahaha. Oh, hm. How about a race? Bet I could beat you!”
About Us, Katsumi: “Hm.. He’s fine. What else could I possibly say about him? He is the white night.”
About Us, Masuyo: “I don’t know who you’re talking about, Traveler! Shouldn’t we be looking for your sibling? Let’s go!”
About the Vision: "I probably know less about Visions than you do. Mine just sort of appeared one day! Neat, huh?"
Something to Share: “There is a tradition in Enkanomiya that the shades taught me! Would you like to know? We just need some Deep Sea Spiritherbs and I can show you the way of fortune telling!”
Interesting Things: “I’ve read that book you know, well.. He read it. The one about the beginning. The start of it all. They say that they’re just fables… Interesting, isn’t it? Guard up, Traveler..”
About Yae Miko: “Yae Miko is the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, that’s really all I know of her. Just because we’re both kitsune doesn’t mean I have more information, apologies!”
About Enkanomiya: “....I spent many years in that place alone on account of having a heart as clear as water. It’s cold there, and dark.. I never could figure out the mechanisms. Sorry. I was just thinking..”
About Itaru: “Itaru the Black Fox huh? Mother used to say we are descended from her.. I hear that’s why my family has such an issue with tanuki ahah!”
About Eiji: "Eiji is the light that I was promised within the darkness. He's a good man. Hey I know! Why don't you befriend him too?!"
About Raiden Shogun: "I serve Inazuma as a protector, I'm not required to be nice. I'm sure the Shogun has her peoples' best interests in mind, it shows that even Gods can be wrong!"
About Ohm: "Mother used to tell me about the clans. It is disappointing to hear of what has happened to the Ambros clan. Nonetheless, Ohm and I have been in contact a few times. He's a thrilling conversationalist!"
Katsumi’s Hobbies: “I quite enjoy sewing, there’s something about being able to create from just a bolt of fabric that brings me joy! Maybe a little bit of pride too, aha..”
Katsumi’s Troubles: “The day and night cycle on the surface, I will never become used to it. I had spent so long in evernight. And with night comes monsters and with monsters you get danger.. Ugh.”
Favourite Food: “Hear me out, right? Sushi rice stuffed into fried tofu pouches that have been cooked in a dashi broth mixture. Mmm.”
Least Favourite Food: "Grapes.. Did you know grapes are poisonous to foxes? You'd think my half human nature would balance that out but it didn't. Tragic really!"
Birthday: “Here, I made you an amulet that should ward off the tanuki! Happy birthday to you~!”
About Katsumi i: “About me, eh? Let’s see! I like to cook and sew, I enjoy painting landscapes and foxes, I have no last name, and my favourite colour is blue! Oh my makeup is made from indigofera tinctoria, cool huh?”
About Katsumi ii: “I sort of just appeared one day, Anemo vision in my hand and a bloodied blade by my side. I don’t know where I come from.. I have memories of a previous life though! And I know my purpose! To protect this nation until my dying breath. And I will honour this purpose, mark my words!”
About Katsumi iii: “You know I’m only lying when I say I don’t know Masuyo, right? I know he’s there, waiting for his chance. I wish I didn’t have to suppress myself like this. But if I don’t.. Traveler, I’m afraid.”
About Masuyo iv: “Kamisato, Kaedehara, Ambros, Sangonomiya, Kujou, Iwakura, Yuna, Mikoshi, Hiiragi, Hakushin, Naganohara… Who lives.. Who dies? You wish to know about me? Look to the stories of the clans and find the outliers.”
About Masuyo v: “Mother never came back after she left me down there.. I could hear stories on the wind, but I could never find her in the dark. Where is she now, I wonder? Does it even matter.. No. I suppose not.. I can hear them again, can’t you hear them? Do you want to hear them?”
Feelings About Ascension: Intro: “Oh hahaha this is so cool! Let’s go test this out, shall we?!”
Feelings About Ascension: Building Up: “With this I feel like I can do anything. Is this what real power is? Wild.”
Feelings About Ascension: Climax: “I’m definitely winning that race now! Let’s go to Asase Shrine! Aaaand now!”
Feelings About Ascension: Conclusion: “You have given him strength, I must thank you, Traveler. One day I won’t be here to keep the darkness away from him. Please ensure he stays within the light.”
Battle Lines;
Added to Party 1: “Katsumi of the day at your service!”
2: “Who you gonna call?! Oh, yeah, me! Let’s do this.”
3: “Masuyo of the night.. Let’s fight.”
Elemental Skill 1: “On wind and with sun!”
2: “From the shadows!”
Elemental Burst 1: “Incoming light!”
2: “Blinding, isn’t it?”
3: “Ceasing darkness!”
Idle 1: “Ah the sun! Wonderful. Let’s get this done, shall we! No idling around, haha.”
2: “Time is calling us.. Move.”
Damage 1: “Oooh feisty!”
2: “Alright, two can play like that.”
Low HP 1: “I’ve bounced back before!”
2: “That won’t stop me, haha!”
3: “This won’t kill me. Try harder.”
Ally at low hp 1: “Hey hey I’m no healer! Careful please!”
2: “Do not let the darkness take you.”
Knocked Out 1, Katsumi: “The day… begins to fade.”
2, Masuyo: “The night lasts forever here within me..”
3, either: “I still hear their screams, oh Gods.”
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5 Reasons Why It’s Good To Be Merc
1.
Professor Oobleck: [To the class] --anybody? Perhaps you, miss Fall?
Cinder: [On scroll, panics] I uh--
Mercury: Sorry teach--
Professor Oobleck: [Loudly] Doctor!
Mercury: [Ignoring him] --but Cindy’s too busy sexting her boyfriend.
Cinder proceeded to furiously kick her asshole of a subordinate in the shin.
Professor Oobleck: *Grimaces* Perhaps, miss Fall, you can engage in...that sometime more appropriate.
Cinder: [Clutching throbbing toes] Of course Doctor Oobleck, I have no idea what I was thinking. [Glares at Mercury]
Mercury smiled. He’d get it later, but the hissing voice of Cinder as well as the slight tears in the corner of her eyes was worth it.
-------------
2.
Emerald ran from the room in the warehouse, cackling the entire way with his legs in her hands. Sitting at a chair, stumps hanging off, Mercury felt his blood boil - before he took a breath and calmed down. He knew this was in revenge for Cinder nearly breaking her toes, her foot against his cybernetic prosthetic.
He also didn’t care. Focusing, he felt a faint glimmer of his aura getting further away from him and he sent a series of pulses that had one purpose. To remotely flip one of his legs.
Emerald: [Distantly] Ogg fugg, my fuggah teef! [Moaning in pain]
Having effectively kicked the thief’s teeth out, Mercury smiled. Best anti theft measures, ever.
-------------
3.
Mercury: Kiiiii-fucking-yah!
And like that, the third year Huntsman went down like a sack of bricks. It was expected - the moron had activated his semblance, Yo-Yo, and used a powerful telekinetic pull to yank Mercury towards him. But he wasn’t anything in comparison to his shitbird of an old man.
So delivering a flying sidekick right out of an action movie was all too sweet and all too easy. Also cathartic because the moron had been going on about how lame his boots were and (the real reason he kicked the moron in the skull while going at least 30MPH) ridiculing him for not using his semblance.
Vytal Festival Crowd: *Raucous cheering*
The adulation of the masses was pretty nice too. As he walked back to the waiting room, he grinned. All he had to do now was wait for blondie to make it to the finals, put up a good act and then he can test himself against some real opponents.
They might just be Atlas grunts, but they weren’t the premiere military organization on Remnant for no reason.
-------------
4.
Mercury grunted, the new additions to his legs making walking awkward. Sure it was just a few pistons as well as a miniature dust engine, but after years of getting used to his leg shaped prosthetics it was a bit awkward with these new clunkier ones.
He stumbled into Emerald, who immediately sneered at him before her brow furrowed.
Mercury: ‘Sup, Em?
Emerald: [Eyes flick towards him] Nothing. Cinder said her scar feels “hot” again, so I’m bringing her a cool towel. *Eyes narrow* What the hell are you doing here? You said the dungeons were creepy.
Mercury just shrugged, watching her carefully. He opened his mouth to speak and saw her staring at the bulky lower half of his legs.
Emerald: And what the hell is that!? [Eyes flick from Mercury, to the dungeon, to the entrance of the hallway that led out of Evernight Castle] Wait a minu--
Mercury didn’t hesitate. Pistons pumped, his dust engine whirred to life with a sound like miniature tornado and with a shift of the leg, a single dust round shot from his ankle and his leg kicked upwards blindingly fast.
Right between Emerald’s legs. The girl was lifted off her feet for a brief few seconds and her formerly narrowed eyes were bulging out of her skull. Then Mercury was putting his modded legs to good use and charging from Salem’s castle, leaving Emerald behind making sounds somewhere between a dying animal and a deflated balloon.
Sure he had to worry about Salem coming to kill him for effectively quitting the game, but if there was one thing his father literally beat into his skull it was that there wasn’t much point in following someone for the sake of an ideal.
Because there was nothing better than cold, hard cash.
And if the freaky Grimm bitch was out to destroy the world, how the hell was he gonna spend all that cash? It ate at him to even remotely agree with his old man, but he had a point.
-------------
5.
Mercury: You know, if someone ever told me I’d be retiring to a beach with a hot midget I probably would’ve laughed. [Pauses] Then I probably would’ve caved their skull in with a good snap kick, but that’s beside the point! Cheers, tiny! *Slurps obnoxiously on a cocktail*
Neo lay next to him in a beach chair, a pink and brown bikini done in her colors but with a pink cup beneath her brown hair on the left side with a brown cup beneath her pink hair on the right side, with the bikini bottoms alternating the colors again.
Her hands also clenched the armrests mutinously. When she screwed Cinder over and shoved Hush through her belly, she figured her best bet was to go to sea. Find an island. Except she found the Maiden’s old assassin that Salem and her people occasionally tried finding (but to little success, Black keeping on the move) and he’d been the one to charter the boat. He’d been the one to find the tropical paradise they’d been living on the last few years.
It had mostly been a pragmatic choice - neither of them really enjoyed tanning, anything to do with the water and they only truly enjoyed the weather itself. There was a small town a couple miles through the palm trees with a little over a thousand in population who didn’t care who they were as long as they were willing to kill the occasional Grimm.
And so life had gone on. Then those assholes who’d killed Roman did the same to Salem. Word had gotten out. The witch was obliterated by some “heeeyuuuw-mongus purple and gold laser beam!”, that probably meant they didn’t need to worry about the Gods anymore either and the only way Salem would die is if the fire bitch was a corpse first.
So they’d celebrated. Once. Then never again because for the diminutive ice cream themed girl, once was more than enough with a dick weasel like Mercury Black. Seriously, 2 years on this island and he still was calling her a midget! He slurped his drinks! Even though he knew sex was permanently off the menu, he had no problem checking her out or any sense of privacy!
“Nothing I haven’t seen before, shortie.”
He even had eaten her damn ice cream and shrugged, like she wasn’t about to push her fucking spoon through his throat and scoop out his jugular! He was insufferable and he often smelt of motor oil and Hatchet Body Spray!
Mercury: *Sighs happily* Yup. Life is good. *Burps loudly*
Screaming silently, Neo shoved off towards their shared house while kicking up sand the entire way and wondering if those best-friend-murdering-cunt-nuggets would actually believe she would reform herself because she had an obnoxious roommate.
Maybe the cute, doofy looking blond boy would. Huh. Now she had an in - the doofus hadn’t really done anything to earn her ire. Yeah. She’d go to him, make friendly and their friendship would be what would convince his other friends, the titty monster and friend killer especially, that she really did want to be a good guy.
Meanwhile Mercury lowered his shades, checked out the perky booty and shrugged.
Mercury: [Steals her drink] And now she’s wasting good liquor. Eh. More for me! *Slurps*
He grinned as a local girl on a surf board bent to keep her balance, her significantly larger, tanner ass not being contained by her white bikini.
Mercury: *Enjoys life*
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’ve never quite understood why the assassin of all people didn’t just up and leave Salem at some point. I have to assume Cinder was paying him to begin with and then the fear of death might have kept him there but are you really gonna tell me this man didn’t think it’d be possible to just run from Salem at some point? Disappear into the background? Come on.
Sure he wouldn’t have disappeared to an island or anything, but crack is what I do apparently.
So yeah, that’s it for RWBY for today and probably until I have an idea again. I actually had these after answering Fish’s ask yesterday and decided to get them down since they’re basically the only ideas I’ve had for my Tumblr.
Hopefully people like these. :D
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LoL Chapter 41- The Forest of Memories
Masterpost
A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)
The Hangman’s Playground awaits.
_________________________________________
Standing before the tall, seemingly endless copse of trees, it looks like any other forest in Lairyon. It’s not quite as tall as the Evernight Forest, or bright as the Flowerfruit fields. To someone who didn’t know any better, this was a regular forest. But no one in Lairyon would dare enter this forsaken ground. Brambles grow right up to the edge of the treeline, not a single thorn cut, not a single leaf plucked. Even the most plump, ripe, delicious fruit goes unpicked among these trees.
But the leyline they stand over, five hermits wide and pulsing with Ren’s imagination magic infused and glowing, goes directly into the Forest of Memories. All three major leylines run into the forest, but Grian noticed on their way here that a fourth one also radiated out, this time in a westernly direction. Towards the Ashioll sea.
No time to explore the implications of that. Not after all the training, all the resource gathering they’ve done. No, there’s no more time to waste, no more preparing they can do. Today, no matter what happens, they will find out what Magistrate Dolios is hiding.
TFC tries to psych himself up, despite every fiber in his old bones telling him not to go in. Ever since he was a boy, almost every story he was told warned him not to enter the Hangman’s Playground. The stories never quite explain what happens within these woods, but the tales of those who dare enter only got more horrifying as he got older.
Grian, on the other hand, walks straight through the bushes and into the forest, much to the shock and horror of everyone else. He knows the stories, true and legend, he just doesn’t care. Soon after, Etho follows in, then Tango, Joe, xB, and Jevin. One by one, following after the cheerful angel, until only TFC and Mumbo are left at the forest interface. TFC places his hand on Mumbo’s back. “I wouldn’t recommend being last, with your back to the forest and all that.”
It’s enough to get him moving, running to catch up with Xisuma. The Forest of Memories swallows the hermits whole, trees letting in only dapples of light across the ground. The smattering and ever changing light plays tricks with the hermits’ heads, flashes of things that shouldn’t be here appearing in their eyes, sounds that don’t belong in a forest playing distantly with the wind.
They do their best to stay directly atop the red hued leyline of dark magic, Ren every so often recasting his spell to keep from losing the trail. They pass by a herd of goldhorns, grazing in a clearing alongside a wild herd of shleep. The night sky wool wisping into the air and playing in the distorted light. Zedaph almost runs off to join the shleep, were it not for Impulse holding him by the capelet. `Turuls and Anzus flit between full crowns of trees, the latter spitting water and breathing fire as it plays.
It was a perfectly normal forest. But between every twitter, there was a scream. Behind every dappled ray of light, there was a world long gone. The Forest of Memories is sinking it’s teeth into the hermits.
A flash of light blinds Stress, and she’s no longer in the calming, quiet forest, hiking with her fellow hermits. The sounds of birds and the breeze replaced by a low roar of voices and lush music. The snug, warm, and durable robes of her outfit is gone, rather feeling sterile, starch silk shift across her legs. She feels so exposed in the rich, beautiful dress. And when the light fades from her eyes, she’s standing in a grandiose ballroom. Her parents’ ballroom, full of people, all wearing similar dresses and suits. All wearing the same smile.
“What do you think you’re doing?” A shrill voice Stress immediately recognizes as her mother shouts. The tight bun of brown hair, the same shade as Stress’s own, leans down and hauls her skirts up. “These shoes are peasant wear! And look at your posture!”
“But mother,” Stress whimpers.
“Don’t talk back! You are a lady, act like it!”
“I don’t want to be a lady! It’s borin’, mother! I don’t want to use my magic to make swan sculptures,” She waves to the side, knowing that an ice waterfowl is just nearby. Of course she knows- this is her memories. “I wanna make something grand and beautiful! Something no one has ever made!”
The ball fades for a moment, like fog in the night, and her mother has been replaced by a different face. A face she knows, though is much, much younger. But his voice betrays the illusion. “Stress, stress! Snap out of it!”
Mumbo’s face regains his mustache, matching the grownup voice of her fellow nobleman, and something cold, smooth is pressed into her hand. The talisman fights away the illusion, until the mist has dissolved in the summer sun and her true family stands before her again. Twenty something concerned faces, BDubs and Iskall helping her stay standing. “I...I was back in Milliara, in ma family’s manor.”
Xisuma shakes his head. “You were here the whole time. It must be the forest. It’s like what Queen Erlea mentioned, the forest uses our mind against us.”
“Such a peaceful forest,” Cleo whispers. “Yet it harbors such dangerous magic.”
“It felt so real. I knew it was a memory, but in the moment….” Stress shakes her head. “In the moment, I was trapped as a lady again.”
She runs her fingers over the talisman, then pulls it over her head. With the help of her friends, her true family, she regains her step and they move forward. But every shimmer in sunlight, Stress’s fears only grow.
The forest isn’t after her. Xisuma is always the logical one. He’s deduced that the forest seems to play off people’s memories, latching onto their emotions. The ghost in Addows mentioned that she only thought happy thoughts, and the Forest didn’t have control over her. So Xisuma thinks happy thoughts as well, simple and to the point. He thinks of his fellow hermits, building his beloved tower.
He built his observation tower with Ex. And just like that, the forest has found his weak spot. He’s not standing among the trees, but rather in front of his observation tower. And only one other person was with him. Standing, hackles raised, was his brother.
Ex’s white hair was luminescent in the sunshine of the Ashioll sea, red cloak discarded and tucked beside the wall of fresh, unweathered, and unblemished stone. No burn marks from Tango or Impulse, or mismatched windows after Grian would throw a rock just a bit too large. No, there were only two people on Eremita.
Not anymore. “We can’t let any random person on our island! We hardly know anything about this poet guy, he could be working for the Council!” Ex waves his hand in the general direction, where their newcomer is tapping the end of his quill against his chin. Leaving an ink stain. “This is a place to hide, for us to be free, brother. You’re too trustworthy!”
“And you’re a coward!” X’s voice rises over his mask, forged by his brother to protect him from the sunlight. “You’ve blinded yourself with your own light, and you can’t see that we’d be stronger, safer with more. We can’t be a guild with just two brothers.”
“I never wanted to be a guild.” Ex surges till the twins are nose to nose, the supernova mage’s eyes burning with the heat of a thousand stars. Xisuma’s are as dark as night. “I just wanted somewhere for us to be free, aren’t I all you need?”
The words fall from X’s mouths, stinging as he says them this time around. He should’ve never said them, but now he’s being forced to relive this horrible moment all over again. “I don’t need you, I never needed you!”
Xisuma finds himself on the ground, his mask knocked loose. But the sunlight wasn’t the only thing burning his eyes. Blood falls across his face, perpendicular slashes oozing red ochre, and the same dripping from the end of his brother’s staff.
In his foolishness, blinded by the sunlight, by his brother, Xisuma fights back. He summons his magic, and hurls twin lashes of void at his brother. Knocking him over, grasping against the frozen burns across his own face. Xisuma stumbles to find his mask, ignoring the blood. “An eye for an eye. You aren’t my brother.”
The pain feels real, the sensation of the blood running down his face, the scent of ozone in the air feels real. But Xisuma remembers that day clearly- the worst day of his life. The day he lost his brother. And he knows he wasn’t crying.
It’s not real. Xisuma reaches up, and feels the wet stain. It doesn’t coagulate like blood, the tears that run from beneath his mask. It’s an illusion, Xisuma.
Logic is Xisuma’s strength. He wasn’t logical that day, but he is now. And he cries, for the loss of his brother, his best friend. He focuses in on those teas, something the forest can’t hide from him. He closes his eyes, feeling the guilt and sorrow. Wishing he wasn’t so cowardly to reach out and make amends.
Distantly, he feels someone touching his arm, his hand. But it doesn’t feel like his body. A cool metal band slips around a finger, and he can finally find his way out of the illusion.
When he opens his eyes, he’s in the forest again, the illusion shattering and sparkling like starlight in the sun. Like the tiny stars his brother used to make when they were boys. Xisuma jumps out of his skin when a hand lays on his arm, feeling all too real. Joe stood next to him, other hand retreating from the moodring on Xisuma’s finger. The first newcomer to the island. He offers peace, but Xisuma can’t find it within himself.
The forest is in his head, twisting his memories and reminding him of all his wrongs. Turning his mind against him. He can only focus on walking, follow the line of hermits before him. Wishing for the horrible thoughts to end. And wishing for his brother to be at his side.
Xisuma isn’t the only one who lost his family. But at least his is alive. Zedaph, Impulse, and Tango tried to steel themselves in preparation of what they knew the Forest of Memories would bring up. They thought they were prepared, able to fight off the Hangman’s Playground. Both physically and mentally. Even Zed thought he’d be able to shepherd away the intrusive thoughts.
The forest is smart, however. And it goes for him before the others. Zedaph feels the heat against his face, and closes his eyes. He will not see that night. Zedaph hears the screams, of his own guild dying around him, and he hums to himself. He will not hear that night. He tries to block it out, to block out the forest, to refuse it access into his head to hurt him further.
“Go, Zed!” The voice is so crisp, so real, it’s not just an echo of a memory. He can’t help but look up, searching for his guildleader.
And he sees scicraft burning. He watches as the fire hurls across the sky, and ash coats the massacre in a fine layer of dust. But he realizes, experiencing this night all over again, that it’s not just ash dancing in the air. Mixed with the burning embers are the fragmented pieces of husks- those attacking the guild. Husks before he even knew dark magic existed.
Zedaph collapses to his knees, alerting the other hermits to his vision. Impulse falls victim next, his face red as the sensation of burning is played through his head. As, in his illusion, he’s running through the fire. Calling out for the other guild members, even though he knows there’s no hope. He’s trapped in the past, forced to relive the day he lost his family. Until all he had left was Zed, Tango, and a memory.
Tango rushes to try and retrieve a potion, liquid happiness that was brewed to perfection by Stress. He digs his hand through the bag of supplies, until his fingers close around...fabric. Tango retreats his hand, no longer digging through his backpack, but rather digging through the ashen remains of his guild. He’s holding a torn, burnt cape, stained in blood.
In one fell swoop and one horrible shared memory, all of Team ZIT is in the clutches of the forest. It plays with their mind, their memories. Turn them on themselves, blaming themselves for the loss. Survivor’s guilt. The other hermits try to snap them out of it, placing talismans on them and forcing potions across their lips.
It’s not until Doc takes control of Zed, and uses his friend’s magic to dispel the thoughts are they able to get ZIT in any state of relief. Doc feels horrible, but it was a necessary evil. The ZIT trio hold each other close, the thoughts lingering like mist in the morning, whispers of the forest still controlling them.
Doc looks at the others, their faces worn thin. The sight of their friends, their family struggling has weakened them as well. The Forest of Memories will claim them all if they don’t hurry. Queen Erlea was right- no amount of preparation could prepare them for this. Doc nods his head at the bright red leyline. “The longer we’re in here, the more Hangman’s Playground will toy with us. Let’s keep moving.”
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Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires
Last week I asked you to recommend books on the subject of witches, werewolves, and vampires. Here are all of the books that were recommended!!
Bold = the books I’ve read
* = the books I personally would recommend
+ = want to read/on my TBR
Witches
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1), by Tomi Adeyemi +
Undead Girl Gang, by Lily Anderson
The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill
Chime, by Franny Billingsley
The Witch’s Daughter (The Witch’s Daughter #1), by Paula Brackston
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy, by Libba Bray
The Lost Coast, by Amy Rose Capetta +
The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1), by Rin Chupeco +
The Binding, by Bridget Collins
Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1), by Zoraida Córdova +
Witches of Lychford (Lychford #1), by Paul Cornell
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
The Witches, by Peter Curtis
The Witches, by Roald Dahl
Truthwitch (The Witchlands #1), by Susan Dennard
The Wicked Deep, by Shea Ernshaw +
Bitter Greens, by Kate Forsyth
Wise Child (Doran #1), by Monica Furlong
Coraline, by Neil Gaiman +
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman +
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman +
Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1), by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Hex Life: Wicked New Tales of Witchery, by Christopher Golden
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1), by Deborah Harkness
Chocolat (Chocolat #1), by Joanne Harris
Practical Magic, by Alice Hoffman
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
Sanctuary, by V.V. James
Howl’s Moving Castle (Howl’s Moving Castle #1), by Dianne Wynne Jones
Literary Witches: A Celebration of Magical Women Writers, by Taisia Kitaiskaia
Summer of Salt, by Katrina Leno
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer (Necromancer #1), by Lish McBride
When the Moon Was Ours, by Anna-Marie McLemore *
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
Circe, by Madelline Miller
Witch Hunt, by Syd Moore
A Secret History of Witches, by Louisa Morgan
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern +
The Worst Witch (Worst Witch #1), by Jill Murphy
Akata Witch (Akata Witch #1), by Nnedi Okorafor
Wyrd Sisters (Discworld #6, Witches #2), by Terry Pratchett
The Wee Free Men (Discworld #30, Tiffany Aching #1), by Terry Pratchett
Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1), by Morgan Rhodes
The Witching Hour (Lives of the Mayfair Witches #1), by Anne Rice
Carry On (Simon Snow #1), by Rainbow Rowell
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter #1), by J.K. Rowling *
A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1), by V.E. Schwab *
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft, by Tess Sharpe
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
A Curse of Ash and Embers (Tales of the Blackbone Witches #1), by Jo Spurrier
These Witches Don’t Burn (These Witches Don’t Burn #1), by Isabel Sterling +
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle #1), by Maggie Stiefvater
When My Heart Was Wicked, by Tricia Stirling
Cirkeln (Engelsfors #1), by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren
Book of Shadows (Sweep #1), by Cate Tiernan
The Price Guide to the Occult, by Leslye Walton
The Babysitters Coven, by Kate Williams
Sorcery & Cecelia: or, The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Castle Hangnail, by Ursula Vernon
Werewolves
Bitten (Otherworld #1), by Kelley Armstrong
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1), by Gail Carriger +
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
Silver in the Blood, by Jessica Day George
Fateful, by Claudia Gray
The Silvered, by Tanya Huff
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
Cycle of the Werewolf, by Stephen King *
Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
Hemlock (Hemlock #1), by Kathleen Peacock
Red Moon, by Benjamin Percy
The Fifth Elephant (Discworld #24), by Terry Pratchett
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls #1), by Maggie Stiefvater
Vampires
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, by Holly Black *
Eighth Grade Bites (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #1), by Heather Brewer
Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate #1), by Gail Carriger +
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare
The Passage (The Passage #1), by Justin Cronin *
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman +
Evernight (Evernight #1), by Claudia Gray
The Radleys, by Matt Haig
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1), by Deborah Harkness
My Blood Approves (My Blood Approves #1), by Amanda Hocking
RoseBlood, by A.G. Howard
Bunnicula (Bunnicula #1), by Deborah and James Howe
Blood Price (Vicki Nelson #1), by Tanya Huff
Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1), by CC Hunter
The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1), by Julie Kagawa
‘Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King *
The Silver Kiss, by Annette Curtis Klause
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
Let the Right One In, by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1), by Richelle Mead
Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
Anno Dracula (Anno Dracula #1), byKim Newman
Carpe Jugulum (Discworld #23), by Terry Pratchett
Interview with a Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles #1), by Anne Rice +
Night Owls (Night Owls #1), by Lauren M. Roy
Strange Practice ( Dr.Greta Helsing #1), by Vivian Shaw
Tantalize (Tantalize #1), by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Secret Vampire (Night World #1), by LJ Smith
Dracula, by Bram Stoker *
Dracul, by Dacre Stoker and J.D Barker *
If you recommended books but don’t see your recommendations here, feel free to message me to let me know I missed your response
Other Chain Recs Masterposts
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Phaethon afterimages and childrens' shades locations
Phaethon afterimages and childrens’ shades locations
The Phaethon afterimages in Genshin Impact are shades or ghosts that are still trapped in Enkanomiya. Similar to the other specters you’ve seen in the region, you need Evernight active to spot them. You’ll then earn an achievement called The Children of God Shall Dance. Here’s our Genshin Impact guide to help you find the locations of all seven Phaethon afterimages or shades of children.
Note:…
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