#vs the old celtic stories

[revoevokukil]

Sapkowski the Pagan: The Grail & The Goddess

Andrzej Sapkowski and Stanisław Bereś. 2005. Historia i fantastyka

One of the more fascinating features of Sapkowski's writing is the intertextuality of his works; their relation not only to preceding legends and fantasy, but also to his own works. There are several topics and ideas that repeat, in various shapes, throughout. As I am going through the Hussite Trilogy right now, I am taking notes.

Among his works I herein count The Witcher, The Hussite Trilogy & The World of King Arthur. Maladie. The latter must constitute the closest we have gotten so far to authorial research notes on ideas of interest.

The ley lines (so far):

Humanim, i.e. decency

(Erotic) Love's salving & dooming qualities Amantes amentes. Those who love are out of their minds. Take heart. Have pity.

Woman, the Grail of being

Fairy tales brought to life (but there's a snag)

Prophecies/Grand narratives

Folk stories & beliefs

Witchcraft

The Cult of the Goddess, the Great Mother, The One who is Three

The perishing of the old (but not quite disappearing) & the brutal onset of the new. Change and upheaval.

Common sense vs idealism vs pragmatism

Anti-taxes, anti-clergy

Anti-fanaticism

The Grail & The Goddess

"For the Goddess has many names. And still more faces."

First, Andrzej Sapkowski construing Ciri as The Holy Grail is documented. It's not merely conjecture based on the text(s), although the text overwhelmingly declares it.

Cutali, Daniele. 2015. Interview with Andrzej Sapkowski

But so what?

The Witcher is an extremely allusive and meta-literary work. It deconstructs mythical matter and fantasy canon in the same breath as establishing itself in the eternal mythical present of legends. It completes itself as a self-aware analogue, because everything has already happened, and everything has already been written about. And Ciri - Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon - sits at the centre of its method and madness; not only the axis of plot events, but also the spindle of its meta text. It's apparent already in her name. O Elaine, O Rhiannon. All Christian legends have a pagan origin. This Polish newborn has Arthurian origins. And Arthurian itself…?

In The World of King Arthur, Andrzej Sapkowski gives his account of the Arthuriana's transformation through centuries of re-writes. It is self-evident for him that for anyone to understand anything at all about Arthur, they need to orient in the history of the British Isles and in Celtic mythology.[1] Arthur was, in all probability, a Celt. And so was the Grail, if not even more ancient. 'The Grail - like almost every element of the Arthurian legend - has its origins in Celtic mythology. This is absolutely certain and has been confirmed many times,' he writes in Świat króla Artura. So what did Arthur believe? What views and values lay at the heart of the world in which he originated? Why is this relevant for a more meaningful reading of The Witcher?

Because the world of the Celts, as so many pre-Christian cosmologies, was a living world - an animistic, self-eating and self-renewing entity, cyclical, circular, without beginning or end, embracing life out of death - and Ciri is a living Grail. Ideas repeat in Andrzej Sapkowski's writing.

Ciri, a living Grail. A girl. A young woman. A Goddess. She who is Triple. A source of rebirth and hope, of death too. Strange magic is enclosed in her veins, as in Ceriddwen's Cauldron, that is of the essence of life. Cauldrons abound in Celtic mythos (be you Dagda, hero Cuchulainn, Brân or Pwyll, you got your hands on a cauldron eventually). But Ciri does not need to be rendered an artefact in order to hold power, because… she is a woman. That alone is enough.

Sapkowski's appreciation for compelling female characters should be well-known.

Sapkowski, A. 1995. The World of King Arthur. Maladie

'Celtic mythology,' Sapkowski notes in Świat, 'is mainly about the love life of the gods.' Gods fighting, scheming, and transcending themselves for goddesses. It's called the oldest story in the world; girl meets boy. But that's not quite the beginning of it: in the beginning, we're all born to a mother.

The Grail's functions and characteristics are notably maternal and feminine, and the mystery and nature of the Grail's power is love.

Sapkowski, A. 1995. The World of King Arthur. Maladie

Great, White, Triple

Who? And what features?

The ability to provide food is the property of the Grail most often referred to. Nourishment. Revitalization. Mother is the only parent who may truly feed her child with her body. Or give birth. The Chalice symbolically representing the "Womb of the Mother" is a very old idea. Old and basic. The most basic. Bernard of Clairvaux even calls upon Mary, saying: "Offer your son, sacred Virgin, and present the blessed fruit of your womb to God. Offer the blessed host, pleasing to God, for the reconciliation of us all" (qtd. in Bynum, 268). But we'll talk about the role of Christianity and symbolism another time. For first, we are pagans.

"Drawing from various sources, I assumed that – although I am not a blind follower of this theory – the feminine element dominates in nature. If there is any cult not related to politics, it is the cult of the Great Mother, the Goddess. The belief in the male God, Yahweh, worshiped by Jews, had a political character – Yahweh was invented because he had to be invented to maintain certain social structures. For primitive people, the mysterious, divine element was exclusively femininity, the ability to give life. However, I emphasize that I am not defending these theories from a religious studies standpoint; they simply resonate with me." - Andrzej Sapkowski and Stanisław Bereś. 2005. Historia i fantastyka

This idea that resonates with Andrzej Sapkowski so strongly as to appear in virtually everything he has written was re-kindled as an ideology by the neo-Celtic, neo-pagan Wicca movement (Gardner, Murray, Starhawk, et al). Foundational text: The White Goddess by Robert Graves. The idea precedes the Celts though, and, at heart, revolves around nature and man being inseparable.

Ceridwen is one of the forms of the Celtic Goddess, and her cauldron is the womb-cauldron of rebirth and inspiration. In early Celtic myth, the cauldron of the Goddess restored slain warriors to life. It was stolen away to the Underworld, and the heroes who warred for its return were the originals of King Arthur and his Knights, who quested for its later incarnation, the Holy Grail. The Celtic afterworld is called the Land of Youth, and the secret that opens its door is found in the cauldron: The secret of immortality lies in seeing death as an integral part of the cycle of life. Nothing is ever lost from the universe: Rebirth can be seen in life itself, where every ending brings a new beginning. Most Witches do believe in some form of reincarnation. This is not so much a doctrine as a gut feeling growing out of a world view that sees all events as continuing processes. Death is seen as a point on an ever-turning wheel, not as a final end. We are continually renewed and reborn whenever we drink fully and fearlessly from “the cup of wine of life.” - Starhawk. 1979. The Spiral Dance

Nature's heartbeat resounds in reincarnation through reproduction. The gentle fury of love.

“Listen to the words of the Goddess, whose arms and thighs are wrapped around the Universe!” called the shaman. “Who, at the Beginning, divided the Waters from the Heavens and danced on them! From whose dance the wind was born, and from the wind the breath of life!” “I am the beauty of the green earth,” said the Domina, and her voice was like the wind from the mountains. “I am the white moon among a thousand stars, I am the secret of the waters. Come to me, for I am the spirit of nature. All things arise from me and all must return to me, before my visage, beloved by the gods and mortals.” “Eiaaa!” “I am Lilith, I am the first of the first, I am Astarte, Cybele, Hecate, I am Rigatona, Epona, Rhiannon, the Night Mare, the lover of the gale. Black are my wings, my feet are swifter than the wind, my hands sweeter than the morning dew. The lion knows not when I tread, the beast of the field and forest cannot comprehend my ways. For verily do I tell you: I am the Secret, I am Understanding and Knowledge.” "Worship me deep in your hearts and in the joy of the rite, make sacrifices of the act of love and bliss, because such sacrifices are dear to me. For I am the unsullied virgin and I am the lover of gods and demons, burning with desire. And verily do I say: as I was with you from the beginning, so you shall find me at the end." Sapkowski, A. 2002. The Tower of Fools

It is for this reason the Irish recorded so many songs of aitheds - motifs of female abduction. It is for this reason one of the earliest legends of the search of the Grail is the tale of the hero Culhwch's quest for the hand of Olwen, who, wherever she stepped, made four white clovers bloom under her feet.[2] It is why Ciri, the living Grail in whom the function of the Goddess has been doubled, finds herself in a double-bind; as the keeper of power and immortality she is more frequently seen as means to an end rather than an end in herself. Not unusual for any failed relationship where the parties confuse love for something else. And while we are confusing notions of erotic and spiritual love, the Question of the Grail which must be asked of the Fisher King, undoubtedly, still comes down to a question about love.

Sapkowski, A. 1995. The World of King Arthur. Maladie

Celtic mythology is about the love life of the gods. The longing for a union; that completes. That turns the wheel and closes the cycle. That revitalizes, heals, nourishes, allows for flourishing. That immortalizes; if not oneself, then at least a moment. And what is life but fleeting moments, grains of sand passing through an hourglass?

Sapkowski, A. Something Ends, Something Begins

It can get confusing. The Goddess has many names and many faces, and three aspects.

Sapkowski, A. 1995. The World of King Arthur. Maladie

As to the inherent eroticism of the Grail, well…

Sapkowski, A. 1995. The World of King Arthur. Maladie

He wanted to tell her everything, but the words stuck in his tight throat. She saw it. She knew. How could she not? For only in Reynevan’s eyes, stupefied by happiness, was she a maiden, a trembling virgin who was embracing him, eyes closed and biting her lower lip in painful ecstasy. For any wise man—had there been one nearby—the matter was clear: she was no shy and inexperienced young lass, but rather a goddess proudly receiving the homage due to her. And goddesses know and see everything. And do not expect homage in the form of words. She pulled him onto her and the eternal rite began. - Sapkowski, A. 2002. The Tower of Fools

Sapkowski's interest for the fates of men in the power of the Goddess is only surpassed by his hope for the triumph of common sense and humanism. And the mystery of the Grail - what unleashes its power? - is of both sexual and platonic variety. Humanity is important. Heart. As in Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival. As per Campbell: 'The big moment in the medieval myth is the awakening of the heart to compassion, the transformation of passion into compassion. That is the whole problem of the Grail stories, compassion for the wounded king.' [4]

Thanks to Ciri, the story of Geralt of Rivia - a grail knight who set out with his hanza in search of a dream - is ennobled and raised on par with King Arthur. It is Yennefer and Geralt's love and compassion and sacrifice for Ciri, which ultimately heals them. An echo of love for his daughter melts the ice shard in the heart of an Emperor. The mystery and nature of the Grail's power resides in love.

"Love has many names,” said Hans Mein Igel suddenly, “and it will determine your fate, young herbalist. Love. It will save your life when you won’t even know that it is love. For the Goddess has many names. And still more faces.” - Sapkowski, A. 2002. The Tower of Fools

By the end of The Witcher, Ciri's journey as the Goddess has barely begun. And what has begun has begun traumatically. Her journey to know herself, to find, forgive, understand, and accept (or reject) the Grail within, has not yet dawned. She remains in a liminal space between the Maiden and the Woman after having, already and much too early, worn the guise of Death, the Crone. The author doesn't tell; he lets the reader wonder. For before Ciri is everything. But Grail, the Goddess, requires something, and also empowers with what she requires.

Sapkowski, A. 2002. The Tower of Fools

Love leads spring into the Waste Land of the human heart.

Love, compassion, willingness to suffer with and for another, readiness to transcend one's own pain, selfishness, and rage. For three things last forever: faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.[3]

-----

[1]: Sapkowski mainly used Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch, Celtic Myth and Legend, Poetry and Romance by Charles Squire and Mabinogion. [2]: In order to marry Olwen, Culhwch must take her from her father, but Ysbaddaden will first set him on an endless quest; a list of long and laborious tasks. In the name of a woman. [3]: Or, as The Tower of the Swallow renders it: 'Are, then, Chaos, art and learning according to you, the Powers capable of changing the world? A curse, a blessing and progress? And aren't they by any chance Faith? Love? Sacrifice?' [4]: Campbell, J. 1991. The Power of Myth

#wiedźmin #the witcher #the witcher books #andrzej sapkowski #the hussite trilogy #the world of king arthur #ciri #cirilla fiona elen riannon #wicca #the holy grail #arthuriana #the witcher meta

[konigsblog]

you scottish or irish?? mostly around these places ig this happens but it’s why the old firm games are really ‘rough’ like fights and all (happens at all football games but more at celtic vs rangers) cause celtic (catholic) and rangers (protestant) it’s not unusual to be asked if ur catholic or protestant by some stranger, or celtic or rangers, you gotta know what area you’re in so you can lie to avoid trouble.

The book divided city (i think) was about how divided Glasgow is on protestant and catholic (catholic celtic, protestant rangers), I guess you won’t be bothered in the more popular tourist parts of Glasgow but anywhere else, from my experience and others (ages ranging from 13 to 47) have had someone ask them rangers or celtic and not referring to JUST the team. Can’t even get out of it by saying ur Muslim, they’ll ask if ur a catholic or protestant muslim (true story, happened to 2 of my Muslim friends). So yeah yk when people bring up celtic and rangers they might be talking about the team but they could be talking about religion, guess it depends on who’s asking.

I don’t even want to get started on that stupid fucking orange walk fucking shits.

yeah, i'm scottish and live in scotland, maybe it's less likely where i'm about? as i actually don't hear it about it too often, but then again, football has never been something that interests me so i've not actually fully heard about it

i'm not too sure, it's sad that people do that over football teams. i don't even understand the entertainment from football either icl, and i don't pay attention to news, football, ect.. anything like that, so it's not really something i really know about

i don't understand bringing religion into it too, does religion matter that much in football?

[bonefall]

Clanmew vs Tribemew

How similar/different are the languages used by the Clans vs. the tribe with them coming from the same group originally? Like is it something like US vs. UK English?

@halogenwarrior

EXTREMELY different. They're separated by several dozen generations, and Clanmew is a language hybridized with Chelford Catspeak where Tribemew has been barely influenced at all by outside forces.

A good comparison would probably be Spanish and French. Both of them come from the same root, but Spanish is very close to Vulgar Latin, where French is so unique because it was shaped by Celtic Gaulish.

The Tribe's Two Languages

I also like to think that the Tribe actually speaks two languages. Modern Tribemew, and Classic Tribemew. Stoneteller is functionally immortal and speaks DIRECTLY to truly ancient spirits, so all medics are trained in the old language, just in case any one of them becomes Stoneteller. Because being a medic isn't STRICT like being a medicine cat, most Tribe cats pick up Classic Tribemew at some point... or, at least a little bit.

Enough to understand the old stories.

Modern Tribemew is hard for a Clanmew-speaker to understand, so I like to imagine that the fact the Sundrown Patrol can understand Classic Tribemew is what tips the tribe off to the fact that these cats are family. Yeah, it's a little bit of a stretch (IMAGINE being able to speak to someone from France because you took a classical Latin class) but I think thematically, it's a beautiful thought.

I also like to think that the Tribe is actually ASTONISHINGLY large in population. Equal to all five Clans put together-- but the ones who show up on the page are all just ones who speak enough Classic Tribemew to communicate with a Clanmew-speaker. Especially since the Cave Ward would have more bilingual cats.

Writing System

The Clans have a glyphic writing system, but I imagined that the Tribe's would actually be phonetic. Just like English, each letter has an attached sound.

I'm not sure anymore though. I think logically speaking, knowing the sort of cultural values they have, it should look a lot more like Chinese han characters, or just be similar to the Clan glyphic system.

When a character represents a concept instead of a sound, it's possible to read things from ancient history in a way that just isn't possible with a phonetic system. Language and spelling is constantly changing, but pictograms are a LOT less prone to it.

(also; @ everyone who can't follow this stuff, don't worry. This isn't part of my official rewrite; just extra fun)

#If it isn't obvious the idea of Chelford cats and the Tribe being distinct cultures is one of my favorite concepts #I love it so so much #I LOVE sociology man it brings me so much joy #Don't get me started about BloodClan I have so many ideas for BloodClan culture that I don't know what to do with #Clanmew #Tribemew #Warrior Cats Conlang #Tribe of Rushing Water

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (17-23 Dec 2023)

shout out to matt rogers for this delightful new entry to the xmas song canon

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) (Travis Baldree, author & narrator) - prequel novel of Viv's much younger days - just as fun and cozy as Legends & Lattes

🥰 Hashtag Soulmates (everwitch) - 44K, RWRB AU - deliberately tropetastic sort-of meta fic where Henry's a fanfic writer & Alex is one of his biggest fans and they work together but don't know it. Hard to explain but fun to read. Good stuff on the nature of fanfic; also hilarious bits where it walks right up to the crackfic line but doesn't go over. I really enjoyed reading something the author so clearly had a blast writing.

😊 In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life (Amy Schneider, author & narrator) - entertaining read

😍 Tommy Cabot Was Here (The Cabots #1) (Cat Sebastian) - reread, novella; just really in a mood to reread in this universe! Hadn't read this since I read Daniel's book, so it was fun to see him guest star as a 12 yr old

😍 Peter Cabot Gets Lost (The Cabots #2) (Cat Sebastian) - reread; I love all the Cabots but this one is my #1 fave by a smidge. The grumpy/sunshine is *chef's kiss*!

😍 Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots (The Cabots #3) (Cat Sebastian) - reread; Alex & Daniel are actually dating but too oblivious (and busy pining in silence) to realize it. I love these dumbasses.

😍 Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue (The Cabots #3.5) (Cat Sebastian) - reread, set in the Cabots 'verse but with no Cabots in sight. Just two baseball boys pulling their heads out of their asses and figuring out what they mean to one another.

💖💖 +102K of shorter fic 💖💖

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Game Changer - s5, e6

Make Some Noise - s2, e15

Dirty Laundry - s3, e8

D20: Fantasy High: Sophmore Year - e16-20

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - s1, e1-6

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

It's Been a Minute - The IBAMmys: The It's Been A Minute 2023 Culture Awards Show

Today, Explained - EU vs. AI

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Songs To Help You Study

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - A Return to Recipe Graves

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Old City Hall Station

⭐ Switched on Pop - "Did I mention that it's Christmas in this club?" (w Matt Rogers)

The Sporkful - New Year’s Food Resolutions 2024

Today, Explained - How Barnes & Noble survived

Big Gay Fiction Podcast - "Time to Shine" with Rachel Reid

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - “They Couldn’t Be Nicer Boys” (w/ Seth Meyers)

NPR's Book of the Day - 'Black AF History' examines American history from the perspective of Black people

Code Switch - Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

Ed Zitron's 15 Minutes In Hell - Episode 20: Jamelle Bouie

Ologies with Alie Ward - Lemurology (LEMURS) with Lydia Greene

99% Invisible #564 - Mini-Stories: Volume 17

Today, Explained - The stretched-too-thin blue line

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Sniffing out What’s Special with Saskia Wilson Brown

One Year - 1990: The Angry Death of Kimberly Bergalis

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - "You Can't Trust These Gay Guys"

⭐ Films To Be Buried With - Leslie Jones

Dear Prudence - My Mother-In-Law Doesn’t Wash Her Hands After Using The Bathroom. Help!

Cautionary Tales - When Stalin Killed the Weekend (with The Happiness Lab)

Our Opinions Are Correct - How Doctor Who Stood the Test of Time

Our Opinions Are Correct - BONUS: If You Could Turn Into Any Form of Transportation, What Would You Pick?

It's Been a Minute - Why does flying suck so much?

Off Menu - Ep 217: Ross Noble (Christmas Special)

⭐ Song Exploder - Foo Fighters "The Teacher"

⭐ Overinvested - Ep. 290: The Cutting Edge

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

my christmas playlist

Celtic Christmas

The Beach Boys' Christmas Album [The Beach Boys] {1964}

Merry Axemas & Merry Axemas 2

Orchestral Christmas Pops

Latin Jazz Christmas

Punk Rock Christmas

Lindsey Stirling Christmas

Orchestral Holiday Pops

It's a Holiday Soul Party [Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings] {2015}

my Christmas Divas playlist

Have You Heard of Christmas? [Matt Rogers] {2023}

Simply Christmas [Leslie Odom Jr.] {2016}

The Christmas Album [Leslie Odom Jr.] {2020}

Christmas With You [Laufey & Norah Jones] {2023}

Christmas Island [Jimmy Buffett] {1996}

'Tis The SeaSon [Jimmy Buffett] {2016}

Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family [Nick Lowe] {2013}

The Muppet Christmas Carol (Special Anniversary Edition) {2005}

Punk Rock Christmas

Classical Christmas

Rock & Roll Christmas

#sunday reading recap #bookgeekgrrl's reading habits #bookgeekgrrl's soundtracks #i just decided to sink into cat sebastian's warm '(almost) no plot only vibes' stuff for this holiday season #i am having zero regrets #the cabots series #dropout tv #star trek: strange new worlds #christmas music #i never listen to christmas music before my bday or after xmas day so i cram it all in to those 10 days #i do strenously maintain that “my favorite things” is not a xmas song but i don't care so much when leslie odom jr sings it #switched on pop podcast #song exploder #overinvested podcast #films to be buried with podcast #99% invisible podcast #one year podcast #big gay fiction podcast podcast #cautionary tales podcast #the sporkful podcast #the atlas obscura podcast #ologies podcast #npr's pop culture happy hour podcast #off menu podcast #today‚ explained podcast #npr's code switch podcast #it's been a minute podcast #npr's book of the day podcast #dear prudence podcast #our opinions are correct podcast

[glittter-vamp]

Best moments and worst moments of the cruise? 👀 (sorry I’m being nosy I can’t travel on a boat like that due to a health issue so I’m always here to hear about the stories)

No worries! I’m here for the gossip of my cruise 😂

Best moments:

Getting to know Eli’s brother and his wife. We all got along so well.

Disconnecting from the world for a bit, it was so needed after these past few months

Meeting other queer couples on the ship and hanging out with them. We made friends with this couple from Tennessee and and an older couple from Georgia who were celebrating their 35th year anniversary, it was so nice

The endless food & drinks, I had probably one of the best steaks on the cruise

Getting to watch a Celtics vs Pelicans game on the boat with two Pelicans fans and finding other Celtics fans who were buying shots every time Tatum made a 3pointer (we got very drunk that night lol)

Partying until late and waking up like 5 hours later to continue the fun

My gfs brother getting so drunk we had to wheel him to the room and help his wife get him in bed (he attempted to out drink me)

Worst Moments

My gfs brother losing his phone for like three hours before someone found it and returned it to lost & found

Some drunk lady spilling her red wine all over my girlfriends white dress

Some guy upset that he couldn’t leave the boat in the Bahamas without his key card and holding up the line for like 15 minutes when he could have just went back to his room and got it in that time

Kept bumping into a guy who was on a bachelor’s trip and at first was very nice and cool but he started to hit on me even after I told him I was with my girlfriend who was literally right next to me and my gf & her brother started to get angry that he wasn’t respecting our relationship and the guy was even grabbed me by my waist, him being drunk wasn’t an excuse and a whole think was about to pop off due to that

Running into an old high school teacher I had that I hated. Like what the hell are the odds?

As cool, fun and nice as my gfs sister in law is, she is so picky with her food and drinks that hearing her complain about every little thing the entire time had my eye literally twitching at in annoyance

The ship was rocky as hell the first two nights and Eli felt sick the first night so she didn’t get to enjoy the drinking and eating as much

#asks #cruise chronicles

[georgia-stanway]

Your Hatters tags on the archive post were so cool! There’s definitely a project for someone to use the National Media Museum photo archives to write more people that aren’t white cis men back into English football history

Yes!! Particularly if it could be done in combination with oral history. Honestly i find the social history of football absolutely fascinating. I'm going to yell about it below the read more because honestly i just think it's so important that when football is being increasingly controlled by money which is concentrated in a small number of clubs that people remember the importance of community and communities to football (and that those communities has always included women and minorities)

My grandad is very much more invested in social side of football than the sport itself so most of his stories have very little to do with actual football and are far more focused on people. He talks about the rover's player who lived up the road or his dad having the sports paper sent down from Wigan and sending them info on a Yeovil player they were interested in. Even when they are a bit more football focused it's his dad's adventures in getting tickets to the famous Yeovil vs Sunderland match in 1949 and the back up goalie who was forced to play and barely played again. I feel so much closer to my grandad since getting into football because we have something to talk about and bond over and it's really really lovely.

And then you have the geographic (and subsequently demographic) aspect. I've never been more aware of my locality since getting into football: my family's migrational history (both that 3/4 of my grandparents aren't English and the only familial connection with football i have is through my English grandfather but also movement within England), the difference in culture between the west country and the rest of England (i.e the preference for rugby over football which kind of reflects the relationship between wales and the west country and the greater presence of like celtic culture in the area even if it's not actually linked) and just being from my side of Bristol because the rivalry here is geographic. Nicknames are often reflective of local culture, industry and history (Bristol rovers are the pirates for example but we're also known as the gas because our old stadium was right by a gasworks and the smell carried into the stadium.) I'd be fascinated to know why there are comparatively so many west country clubs called the robins, whether it's a coincidence or what.

But you've also got things like Spurs' Jewish connection. i think it would be quite difficult to detangle spurs from a (particularly social) history of the Jewish community in North London and of course vice versa you can't talk about the history of spurs without talking about the Jewish community in north london. I'm sure football would feature very heavily in the history of many other communities as well, I think Arsenal have had a large Black following for example. Just the fact that football is a working class sport and even today the majority of footballers come from a working class background. Then you also have, particularly across europe, political and class aspects in rivalries like Barça v real madrid and celtic v rangers. Even things like Manchester vs Liverpool has it's own history that goes beyond yet very much includes football.

It's one of the reasons i hate trophy logic and debates on whose a big club and man city has no history because while it's obviously a competitive sport and there is a conversation to be had about money and sportswashing, a club doesn't have to be big or traditionally successful to have history and value and importance and yes success. And i don't think that community and big clubs are incompatible and while I would encourage all football fans to engage with their local clubs, i think the whole support your local thing is overly simplistic to say the least (particularly when employed by prem fans) and doesn't actually address the issue people want it to which is that particularly big clubs are pricing out fans both local and not

If you could gather people's stories and memories of football you can create such a rich tapestry of football culture and history but even just having proof that people who have had their own history and relationship with football erased and banished allows space for these things to be discussed and acknowledged

#I'm not from a sporty family so any connection to sport has been primarily social for me #i used to play tennis with my opa not because we were particularly good at tennis but because my grandmother liked tennid #and it reminded him of her #being able to do synchro just for fun has been one of the best things about uni

[s-p-o-d-e]

Adam vs. Blake - RWBY: The Atlesian Superman AU

https://www.deviantart.com/sir-spoder/art/Adam-vs-Blake-RWBY-The-Atlesian-Superman-AU-953082550

Link to story: ALL CHAPTERS My submission for Celtic Phoenix Production's Fanart Contest/Showcase The Prompt for the contest: Missed Opportunities. Two characters from my AU, with Adam being introduced in chapter 1, and later Blake introduced in chapter 6. "Every mortal on this planet was once an Edenite. Slowly, little by little the humans began to drift away from Old World’s Lost Virtues. But not us Faunus – we stayed on our path. The path passed down by our forefathers to the sacred soil below. So I plan to take back our ancestral lands." PROFILE 1 Name: Adam Belladonna (Originally Taurus) Age: 20s Race: Faunus/Edenite Height: 6'4" (193 cm) Occupation: Rebel Leader Semblance: Unknown so far Relatives/Relationship: Ilia Amitola (adoptive sister), Blake Belladonna (self), Kali Belladonna (adoptive mother), Ghira Belladonna (adoptive father) PROFILE 2 Name: Blake Belladonna Age: 20s Race: Faunus/Edenite Height: 5'10" (178 cm) Occupation: None Semblance: Unknown so far Relatives/Relationship: Adam Belladonna (self) Adam is obsessed with the past, in contrast to many other characters like King Oz or Rubio who possess the power to see the future. He believes in the supremacy of a mythical ancient race called the Edenites, who he believes all Faunus are descendants of. It is said that the bloodlines of the people of the Valley are magical, but who's to say the same isn't true of other bloodlines? There is great power and importance in the blood of Eden, but who exactly is Blake Belladonna? How did King Oz separate Adam into another being? Can Blake find her own identity? Or is she forever bound to this man? Now to explain how this fits the contest prompt: While it's true that we did get a Blake vs Adam fight in the show proper, I myself am not a fan of how it was handled. But what's more is that I personally think we missed out on a "true" one on one between the two characters, with no outside interference. The drama here being: the fight between mentor and mentee, not that of lovers. Can Blake overcome Adam's strength and rise from his shadow? The man who taught her everything? For me, the devil's in the details for this fanart piece. As you can see, Blake is using a fighting style that is very much similar if not identical to Adam's own style. Which is where the drama is, where Blake tries her best to leave behind the past and evolve into something she could call her own. The past is the past, of course, and it will always follow her. So traces of what Adam taught her will always be within her fighting style. But once she is able to reconcile these feelings and become her true self, she may find peace. This is where the evolution of the fighting style comes in. Because in the show proper, Blake has never really gotten a meaningful upgrade or a power up. But I think this could be her opportunity. Maybe by tying her iconic rope/ribbon to the blade, she will be even deadlier, and of course, it will be reminiscent of the canon fighting style (though I still kinda like Adam's style, so I think combining the two would look very cool). I do not own RWBY, all rights goes to Rooster Teeth and the creator Monty Oum (may he rest in peace). Consider donating if you enjoy my work: www.patreon.com/sirspoder

#rwby #rwby fanart #rwby blake #Blake Belladonna #adam taurus #alternate universe #Fanart #fanfic

[laresearchette]

Friday, April 21, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: BIG BEASTS (Apple TV +) DROPS OF GOD (Apple TV+) GHOSTED (Apple TV+) DIARY OF AN OLD HOME (discovery +) SLIP (The Roku Channel) THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS (Shudder) DEAR MAMA (FX Canada) 10:00pm SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS (Nat Geo Canada) 10:00pm

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA CON LOS AÑOS QUE NOS QUEDAN DEAD RINGERS FABIO RABIN COMEDY SPECIAL JUDY BLUME FOREVER LOL: CHI RIDE È FUORI (Season 3) VENDETTA WILD ISLES (Season 1)

CBC GEM BLOODY MURRAY (Season 1) JUST EAT IT: A FOOD WASTE STORY THE MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY

CRAVE TV THE ARK (Season 1) THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE ASTRO BOY THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN THE CRAFT JERRY MAGUIRE ONE YEAR OFF SUMMER WITH HOPE

NETFLIX CANADA 8 MILE CHOKEHOLD ERIN BROCKOVICH INDIAN MATCHMAKING (Season 3 ONE MORE TIME ROUGH DIAMONDS A TOURIST’S GUIDE TO LOVE

IIHF WORLD MEN'S UNDER 18 CHAMPIONSHIP (TSN4) 8:30am: Canada vs. Germany (TSN4) 12:30pm: Slovakia vs. Sweden

NHL HOCKEY (SN1) 7:00pm: Hurricanes vs. Islanders - Game #3 (CBC/SN) 7:30pm: Bruins vs. Panthers - Game #3 (SN1) 9:30pm: Stars vs. Wild - Game #3 (CBC/SN) 10:00pm: Oilers vs. Kings - Game #3

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN3/TSN5) 7:00pm: Celtics vs. Hawks - Game #3 (TSN/TSN4) 8:30pm: Cavaliers vs. Knicks - Game #3 (TSN3/TSN5) 9:30pm: Nugget vs. Timberwolves - Game #3

MLB BASEBALL (SN Now) 8:00pm: Red Sox vs. Brewers

THE CASES OF MYSTERY LANE (W Network) 8:00pm: Alden and Birdie Case find a new way to keep the mystery in their marriage alive. Alden takes classes to become a private investigator, and Birdie may hold the key to solving one of his mysteries.

THE SPENCER SISTERS (CTV) 9:00pm (SEASON FINALE): When Billy is kidnapped, Victoria and Darby have to set aside their differences to save him and figure out the truth behind his identity.

THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DURBAN (Slice) 9:00pm: Nonku stands her ground when Londie and Jojo attempt to intervene.

SUMMER WITH HOPE (Crave) 9:00pm: Young swimmer Omid trains for a prestigious competition with a new coach and feels responsible for the fate of his family. His alliance with another young man elicits disapproval from people around them.

CRIME BEAT (Global) 10:00pm: Two missing teens quickly turn into the prime suspects in the murders of three people, and officers follow a trail of clues across Canada into the vast wilderness of northern Manitoba.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #the spencer sisters #the real housewives of durban #crime beat #iihf men's hockey #nhl hockey #nba basketball #mlb baseball

[sinfaltaenigma]

Story time. I learned BASIC programming when I was 7 years old. At 14 I played the game "Lakers vs Celtics and the NBA Playoffs" and I knew that I wanted write code for the rest of my life. I saw Boomerang when I was 16. I was enthralled by this successful, charming black man, wearing fly loud ass suits, surrounded by a bevy of beautiful black women. I wasnt exactly sure what a marketing executive did but if it was that then it looked like a hell of a way to live life to me.

I only applied to one college, FAMU. I kinda figured with my test scores and the fact that I went to the high school there was little chance of me not getting in. I applied by submitting an application and a resume. Das it. I planned to major in Computer Engineering because there was never really any doubt about what I was meant to do with my life as a grown up. Well until I received a small scholarship offer from FAMUs School of Business (who knew sending in a resume with a college application was a good idea). I knew very little about the School of Business. In my mind though, going to a business school would fast track me to living the life of Marcus from Boomerang. I enthusiastically accepted the scholarship.

As a freshman in SBI I was surrounded by scores of beautiful black women. Ive lost count on the number of crushes I had. It was everything that a young virile black man could hope for except that's pretty much where the similarities with the movie Boomerang ended. The program was strict. You had to wear your hair a certain way. You had to wear conservative colored suits. You had to speak and introduce yourself a certain way. It was not what I imagined. It was not "me". I would not be Marcus. I floundered. Lost my scholarship. Almost flunked out of school.

SBI set me up with this really unique foundation though. So I'm rocking a 1 point something gpa. Holding on by a thread to stay in school. But because I paid enough attention in the SBI classes that I did go to I knew how to sell myself to companies. I knew how to properly introduce myself. I knew how to formulate well informed questions that sounded important. I took that 1 point something gpa and somehow turned it into an 8 month paid IT internship with a Fortune 500 company. I guess I had some Marcus in me afterall because I jumped the line over some upper level computer science students with better qualifications but didn't have the benefit of being taught the SBI way of selling yourself.

Those 8 months changed everything for me. I came back and immediately changed my major to computer science. I became a better student because I was finally in my element. I was in familiar waters and had direction. I went on a second IT internship the next summer. I probably had a 3rd lined up with the company that made "Lakers vs Celtics and the NBA Playoffs" but I fumbled that bag (another story to be told at another time). Because of my foundation in the School of Business I was never concerned about finding a job after college. I had several offers before even my final semester in school. I'm not really sure how this story would have gone had I not been so fascinated with Eddie Murphy's character in Boomerang. Representation Matters. Happy anniversary to the movie that changed the trajectory of my life.

Me, at 25, my first year in Palm Beach, trying to conjure those Marcus vibes:

[screwthem-itsanitcrowdquote]

So listen I know JK Rowling is an absolute dry cunt, and I know that Harry Potter is problematic as fuck but I've been sitting on these theories for a few years now hoping that JK would pull her head out of her ass and she isn't so I'm sharing. If you don't like that fuck off!

This is my hate blog, I have THOUGHTS about Harry Potter and I WILL SHARE THEM. It's not my fault JK Rowling is an infected boil on the ass of humanity.

Okay so the thoughts.

SNAPE was from the North right...like he's quite obviously from a depressed mill town in the North of England, which means his accent would've been northern (if you don't know what that is think Chris Eccleston's Doctor from Doctor Who). Also since Harry's mum and Snape were friends as kids she too would've had a northern accent, and fucking Petunia.

This was a very poor depressed area of England, very working class, and then mills started shutting down in the 60s and 70s meaning a lot of poverty. This is the area of England that birthed the Punk counterculture and the anarchy that came with it.

Also we see from the brief glimpses of Snape's childhood that JK gives us some of this poverty and the trauma and abuse it birthed.

So like realistically Snape could've been a punk!

Also, this opens the mind to the possibility that the reason Lily never viewed Snape as a romantic interest is because he was poor and she, just like her sister, was looking to move up the class ladder a bit which is why she landed on rich boy Potter.

And Potter WAS the rich boy, for American's think of the preppy Lacross captain at your local private school. Just old fucking money and idealism all wrapped up in one douche-tastic package.

Which makes me think like why is he so hell bent on "equal right's" like what do Potter and their wealthy ilk understand of poverty and inequality. Like they're so totally the fake "woke" ass hats right.

So here's the thing.

JK Rowling was poor, but she didn't see herself as a working class person, she saw herself as upper class which means that in her story the rich people are the heroes!

Snape is a poor man, he goes from poverty stricken childhood to educated working class adult (teachers are working class) and he has to have a whole fucked up redemption arc that doesn't really absolve him of his abusiveness.

The Weasleys are the only truly poor people in the story and you get the sense that they're poor simply because Arthur's preferred profession is undervalued and also something that feels vaguely akin to anti Celtic and/or Catholic sterotyping but I can't be sure because I'm American and don't really understand the prejudices or lack their of against red-heads.

anyway someone else can be more thoughtful I'm just rambling but basically I think JK Rowling is a class traitor and a fucking cunt and she wanted to be rich and that fact is VERY apparent from the way she treated the classes in her books. Like she TRIES to make the rich all evil but she can't do it... look at the empathy she builds for the Malfoy's (actually rich) vs the absolute lack there of for Voldemort (born poor).

and this is why you shouldn't just stop reading shit because it's problematic because conversations about class, the aspirations of the author, and it's affect on literature are important to have and we need to dig into this shit and discuss it.

P.S. how cool would it have been if Richard Armitage (who's actually from the North and actually Snape's age) had played Snape...and also what if JK Rowling had written Snape as a punk...that'd have been so cool.

#JK Rowling #terfs are trash #harry potter #class issues #class discrimination #literature #fiction #thoughts #opinion #rant

[acemapleeh]

for the head canon asks! can we do five, eight, twenty seven, twenty-six and fourteen? your choice of characters!

 Deciding to do one question for each of the UK brothers with Ireland as a plus one.

Link to original questions

5. Describe your muse’s worst nightmare.

Alistair

Being lost.

Is it being forgotten? His entire heritage and self just... gone? The mark he left on the land washed away? His language is already dying and those moments where the words die on his tongue frighten him. Those quiet evenings where one moment his hands are whittling and working, he thinks too hard, and he freezes. He can’t remember. The glasses resting on his nose are heavy.

A crowd. He doesn’t know a single face and they’re all standing too close. He doesn’t want to be pushed along with them. He’s well over six-feet tall and built like a bear, he shouldn’t be a faceless nothing.

He was talking to the Fae and he’s been stuck in the Court for who knows how long. They’re laughing as he’s trying to navigate their halls, hiding the panic rising in his chest.

The woods are too vast. He can’t see the stars under the dark cover of branches and leaves.

The fog is swallowing him.

Forsaken.

8. What keeps your muse up at night? 

Arthur

Did he leave the kettle on? Did he lock the front door? Was he certain he put away his gardening sheers back in the shed? Where did he leave Matthew’s Christening papers? Did he ever reply back to the message Francis sent him? Was he sure the kettle was off? That would mean the range was left on. No, wait, when did he use it last? Was the last cup of tea he made with the electric kettle? He best go downstairs and check to see everything was in order.

The range was off, the kitchen silent. No, it wasn’t because the sink faucet was dripping. He fixes it because he knows the noise will keep him awake. The front door is locked but blast it all, what about the back door? He checks that now but he remembers his sheers might have been left out. He slips on his wellies and goes into the shed, finding everything in their proper place. He locks the backdoor and goes to his study. Matthew’s papers are in the maple, handmade cabinet and so are the other children’s. He’s back in his room and gives a glance to his phone. He told Francis he would see him in the morning at seven that evening.

He lays back down under the covers.

Did he lock the door to the shed?

14. Does your muse have a “victory song” and if so, what is it?

Seán

He loves the direction music has been going throughout the 20th century. The blending of tradition Celtic folk with modern themes and instruments fill him with pride. He's a young thing, having no where near the experience his siblings have been through but there's still a deep rooted pride of all his people have gone through.

He sings alongside his people at their victories whether it’s a ballad, old shanty, or something modern and new. His voice carries throughout the whole room, words fast and never stumbling over each other. Seán, for being a little bit of a shut in and can get flustered quite easily, is quite wiling to hit the streets and pubs when joy needs to be shared.

He’s not afraid to bellow out Irish rebel songs, but really, the Troubles have left him in a whirlwind. His whole existence has really. It didn’t matter what he wanted to be. It didn’t matter if he even wanted to exist in the first place. His voice could sing for whatever side but it would never truly be heard.

Before he can get too deep in these heavy thoughts, he’ll be singing The High Kings, The Wakes, U2, and The Irish Rovers.

26. Does your muse have any trophies?

Morgan

Anytime Ireland has beat England at anything, especially football. They're incredibly prideful and competitive and gladly display their victories; they will tell you the whole story if you ask for it, especially if Arthur is there forced to listen for the umpteenth time. The 1949 England vs Ireland football match? That's right on the mantle alongside the pamphlet and jersey they wore.

This goes beyond literal trophies from the past century. This “tradition” of theirs extends far back into their childhood as they have always been competitive against their brothers. Little bets and gambles, never afraid to back down from a challenge. They have keepsakes of rebellions and fights, things that aren’t conventionally thought of as trophies. Morgan holds these victories to their heart. Even things that might seem a little much or sentimental. There's a fancy river stone on the mantle in a little wood and glass box from when they beat Dylan in a race as children.

Beating Alistair at some of his own Highland games? Absolutely priceless. They're holding onto the tartan they wore that day for luck.

27. If your muse was given the opportunity to go sky diving, would they?

Dylan

He loves heights and the feeling of the wind on his face. Dylan can stand on the edge of his cliffs and stare out to sea or land for hours, simply thinking. Hell, he's one of the few people who actually say a windy day is his favorite, where he feels the most creative and contemplative. Has he thought of jumping off those cliffs? Has he had these thoughts as he stands on his mountains how it would feel to fall?

His grip tightens on the safety bar.

He doesn't share the feeling Alfred experiences when he flies. The rush of falling from a plane, of tumbling in open sky- it almost terrifies him. He still wants to feel somewhat grounded in flight.

His toes never teeter too close to the edge and he'll brace the person next to him if a strong gust catches him off guard.

When he flies openly on a dragon's back, there's a lot of trust to be shared that if he does fall, he'll be caught. He knows the death wouldn't be permanent but he'd rather avoid having his body mend itself back together. You could go on about the safety of skydiving, how nothing compares but he feels just a little too old these days to try it.

#hws scotland #hws england #hws northern ireland #hws ireland #hws wales #dumb little headcanons #first time writing some of these characters #still developing the majority #hope this suffices!

[abybweisse]

have you heard of the manga earl cain? i just read the plot summary on wikipedia after someone compared it to black butler, it is from the 90s and is REALLY similar, victorian-era manga featuring an orphaned earl with a mysterious butler and estranged evil brother. the ultimate enemy is also doing creepy experiments to revive the dead ("deadly dolls" that thrive off of human blood). there was also a circus storyline. i wonder if yana was inspired by it???

Earl Cain/Godchild vs Black Butler

⚠️ Long post ⚠️

Well, the original Earl Cain series was published, split between two related shōjo mags, between 1991 and 1994. Actually, it was published in those mags under four short, separately titled series… then split between five volumes and later referred to, collectively, as Earl Cain. Yana Toboso turned 10 in 1994, and it’s possible she read the series, though it probably would have been a few years later.

Both mangakas seem to have been inspired by historical Victorian England, as well as British and European literary giants (Hans Christian Andersen, Lewis Carroll, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Arthur Conan Doyle, etc… and at least in Kaori Yuki’s case also Kafka) and pop culture (various movies, games, and manga/anime). Yana Toboso seems to incorporate more folklore, in general, while Kaori Yuki (to the best of my knowledge) focuses on vampires, zombies, and biblical stories. Yana-san incorporates all that plus quite a bit of Norse, Japanese, Egyptian… and some Celtic mythologies. Both of them also eventually toured England (particularly London) to do some research, though Kaori Yuki didn’t do her tour of London until she was working on Godchild, which wasn’t premiered until October 2006. Idk about Kaori Yuki, but Yana-san now has someone on her team that helps with historical research.

Was she inspired at all by Kaori Yuki’s early works? Perhaps so. But I personally think that Kaori Yuki was possibly later inspired by the quick successes of new series like Black Butler to return to her old series with a sequel called Godchild, which, as I said earlier, didn’t show up until October 2006. Running these series neck and neck, but with one in a shōnen mag and the other in a shōjo mag, they could have been picking each other’s brains, for all we know, though Kaori Yuki must be her senior by roughly two decades… at least, since she’s been active since about 1989. (Yana-san was born in 1984, while Kaori Yuki’s birth year is not publicly known.)

There are some important distinctions to make between Black Butler and the (combined) series Earl Cain, along with its sequel Godchild.

Black Butler is basically from the viewpoint of the butler, not the young master. The demon-turned-butler is canonically the titular and main character, and “Ciel” is merely one of a presumably long line of contractors. We learn so much about this contract because it’s pivotal in the demon’s long life. It’s ongoing, so we don’t know what the demon does afterwards, but this kid isn’t his first master; it’s just a particularly interesting contract. The demon has been named after a dead dog, and Sebastian happens to be a common name for butlers in Japanese stories set abroad, like England. Earl Cain is the titular and main character of his stories, and his butler is surprisingly loyal… for turning out to be a Deadly Doll. Also, the butler’s name comes from Riff Raff, a character from Rocky Horror Picture Show. 😆

Cain is at least 17 in his two series, whereas our “Ciel” is 10-13, nearing his 14th birthday, for the duration of the demon contract. We get various flashbacks of the twins all the way back to their birth, when “Ciel’s” birth is a surprise.

Cain eventually kills his own abusive father, whereas “Ciel” is trying to avenge the deaths of his entire immediate family, as well as the abuses he and his twin brother suffered at the hands of people they didn’t really know (but who largely ran in the same circles as their father). Our “Ciel” is currently fighting the Aurora Society and Undertaker, but his main goal is to figure out and defeat whoever planned and/or carried out the attack on Phantomhive Manor. And that wasn’t Undertaker, since he’s obsessing over his own losses when the Phantomhive family was attacked. It’s also not likely to be Vincent, having somehow faked his own death, as Undertaker has no reason to mistake those ashes as Vincent’s. Vincent, by all accounts, is very dead… and extras like “With Father” and the “Akuma6” chapter just emphasize he’s not alive and somehow faking his death.

Cain has multiple brothers and sisters, as well as half-siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc… and his father is very abusive. The stories are extremely convoluted, and Cain’s eldest sister turns out to be the most manipulative one of all, even having controlled their own father, who is (oddly enough) named Alexis. 🤔 Our “Ciel” and real Ciel only have each other, as far as real Ciel is concerned, but they also have cousins, aunts, and uncles. Their uncle Alexis seems to be the most oblivious of the bunch, but he’s also probably the nicest.

It’s hard to tell from the somewhat confusing wording of the Wikipedia entry on Cain’s stories, but Cain’s eldest sister appears to also be his mother? Incest is a common theme in the stories of his adventures. So is abuse from their father. Ciel’s parents are not related (at least not closely!), and they genuinely love each other and their children. Vincent and Rachel are gently manipulative of their sons but not the least bit openly abusive.

Cain’s own father, Alexis, is the one creating the so-called “Deadly Dolls”, and it’s ultimately because he’s trying to revive his eldest daughter, who had apparently died by suicide, as an end to her growing insanity. In Black Butler, it’s a reaper (136649/Undertaker) who is creating the “Bizarre Dolls”, though he might turn out to be the twins’ paternal grandfather, Cedric. And it’s confirmed that even Undertaker’s current experimentation with real Ciel’s corpse (and the others) stems from his loss of previous heads of the Phantomhive family, like Vincent (who would be his son, if he’s Cedric) and Cloudia/Claudia (who would be the mother of his children, if he’s Cedric). This part is arguably the biggest similarity between Earl Cain (and Godchild) and Black Butler.

Alexis (from Earl Cain) creates and runs Delilah, the secret society that makes the Deadly Dolls. Undertaker uses the Aurora Society to achieve many of his goals, but I don’t know if he created it. Meanwhile, Black Butler’s Alexis seems oblivious to quite a bit, but he openly destroys Bizarre Dolls on the Campania and seems disgusted by their mere existence. Black Butler also has a mysterious group called Osiris, and we don’t know who runs that… at all. Could be the queen — or John Brown — for all we know. Another family among the Evil Nobles? Something Undertaker started? Someone from a competing country, like Germany? 🤷🏻‍♀️ And what mysterious group convinced Undertaker to test out his Bizarre Dolls as “animal weapons”? 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤷🏻‍♀️

The timelines are completely different.

The other big comparison is that both Earl Cain and Earl “Ciel” Phantomhive solve various mysteries, with Cain focusing on murder mysteries, whereas our “Ciel” does whatever assignment the queen gives him… as well as things that might help him reach his own goals. It often involves murder, but not always. The biggest difference here might be that Queen Victoria is a decidedly minor character in Earl Cain. While she (or John Brown) could still turn out to be the big baddie in Black Butler.

I still see way more in common between Black Butler and Nintendo’s Mother series, particularly Mother3. Characters, timeline, actions, etc. are much more deeply paralleled between Black Butler and that game series….

#black butler #kuroshitsuji #earl phantomhive #our earl #sebastian michaelis #earl cain #godchild #yana toboso #kaori yuki #comparison #contrast #nintendo #mother3 #mother series #mother game #mother2 #anon asks #i answer #answered asks #long post #long reads #observation #aug 22 2021

[irelandseyeonmythology]

Does Aillen (the fire breathing guy from The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, in case I spelled his name wrong) appear in anything outside of Boyhood Deeds? I know he's described as a member of the Tuatha (at least according to Wikipedia,, I can't find where to read Boyhood Deeds) and O was curious cause I don't recall him being mentioned/appearing anywhere else. Thank you for the time and I hope you have a great day.

Thank you for the ask! So, to my knowledge, Aillén mac Midna doesn’t appear anywhere else. 

Now, about where to get ahold of the story: Mary Jones has a version of the Macgnímartha Find, there’s also one in Koch and Carey’s Celtic Heroic Age. Even though I think it’s worth the read just for the sake of having it, though, if you’re in the same situation I was in a few years ago when I was trying to fact check it (because it was...I’m fairly certain my second Fenian story and I was curious about where it came from, especially given the Beowulf VS Grendel parallels), that won’t do you much good, because it’s not in there. (Well...it might have been in there at some point, because the only manuscript that contains it cuts off unexpectedly, so it’s more accurate to say that there’s not a variant of this in any of our extant material.) If I was to take a guess, the reason why the episode is often included in the Macgnímartha is because of the unsatisfactory ending, making a nice segue between Fionn being given his name and recognized as the son of Cumall and Fionn as an adult, additionally explaining how became leader of the Fianna, which is how it’s included in Lady Gregory’s Gods and Fighting Men, where it’s included in the “Coming of Finn” chapter. (And Lady Gregory, love her work or hate it, HAS become, to many people, a sort of...canonical text on Irish mythology.) 

Now that begs the question: where does it come from, though? Were the Victorian writers like Lady Gregory on opium and just...blurred their sources? Mistook Beowulf for Fionn (weirder things have happened)? In this case, I can say no. Instead it’s in the Acallamh na Senorach, aka That Very Important Text That I Still Haven’t Read All Of Because It’s Long And Scary And I’m A Good Celticist. 

So, I was going to give you the O’Grady translation, but then I realized: That translation is old and, frankly, I should have read this ages ago, at least in translation, so, to make it up to you, and because I’m Extra and we have to stan a pyromaniac, here’s my translation of his introductory paragraph, from the edition of the Acallamh included on the CELT database: 

(Lines 1662-1670)

Aillén mac Midhna do Thuathaib Dé Danann do tigedh ó Charn Fhinnachaid atuaid co Teamraig, & is amlaid ticedh, & timpain ciuil 'na láimh, & do codlad gach nech at-cluinedh h-é, & do chuiredh ainnsein cairche teined as a bheol, & ticedh co Temhraig i líth-laithi na samhna gacha bliadhna, & do seinnedh a thimpan, & do chodladais cách risin ceol sídhi do-níth, & do shéidedh a anáil fon cairche teined, & no loiscedh Temhair cona turrscar gacha bliadna amlaid-sin fri ré trí m-bliadan fichet.

“Aillén mac Midhna of the Tuatha Dé Danann went from Carn Fhinnachaid to Tara and this is how he went, a musical stringed instrument/drum (yes, both of them can be a timpán) in his hand, and everyone who heard it fell asleep, and then vomited a blast of fire from his mouth, and he came to Tara on the feast day of Samhain every year, and struck his instrument, and everyone fell asleep because of the music of the síd, and his breath incited the blast of fire, and he burned Tara with all her belongings each year like that for twenty three years.”

Bit of wordplay that’s lost in English: the word used for “blast”, cairche, is the same as the sound emitted from a musical instrument, and there’s no way you can tell me that wasn’t intentional. Likewise, “séitid”, the word used to describe the way that Aillén’s breath blows up the fire, can also be used to describe playing a musical instrument.

#irish mythology #aillen mac midhna #The Fenian cycle #Fionn mac Cumhaill

[blessedarethebinarybreakers]

Halloween is a Queer Thing: from Celtic peasants to LGBTQA communities in the US

The latest episode of Blessed Are the Binary Breakers, a multifaith podcast of transgender stories, is up! Find the transcript + places to listen here.  

Avery draws from multiple sources to discuss Halloween as a holiday that has elevated gender diversity since its origins deep in the ancient Celt observance of Samhain. As a holiday that has undergone various transitions, traveling across time and space and religious experiences while maintaining its binary-breaking core, Halloween is the perfect time for those of us who don't fit into gender norms to live into our holy truths. Indeed, its rise in popularity in the United States may well have relied on LGBT communities!

__________

Talking Points:

(2:50 - 5:19) Leslie Feinberg - "...The old butches told me there was one night of the year that the cops never arrested us – Halloween."

(5:20 - 8:10) Judy Grahn - "The qualities of impersonation and the dangerous business of crossing over from one world to another help explain why Halloween is the most significant Gay holiday."

(8:11 - 16:10) Samhein's survival in spite of Church suppression; history of matrilineal peasants vs. patriarchal landlords and priests

(16:11 - 19:35) Feinberg - "Transgender [expression] has been outlawed by the ruling classes of both our systems -- feudal nobility and modern industrialists alike."

(19:36 - 23:40) Halloween comes to the USA; "cross dressing" policed until ~1914 when the police give up and no longer arrest "cross dressers" on Halloween night

(23:41 - 25:54) David Frum - "the Halloween craze started in gay culture," 1970s San Francisco

(25:55 - end) Grahn - "On Halloween 1980, my lover and long-time partner Wendy Caden and I...go to San Francisco and look at the Fairies and Queens..."

“Halloween! Finally I’d found the answer to why I did not face arrest for ‘cross-dressing’ that one day of the year. I could never have guessed as a young butch in the bars that I was safe from police arrest on October 31 because peasants held onto a transgender tradition throughout centuries of repression.” - Leslie Feinberg, Transgender Warriors

#blessed are the binary breakers #transgender warriors #syncretism #samhain #faithfullylgbt #podcast #leslie feinberg #judy grahn #multifaith #interfaith #halloween

[niteshade925]

(SPOILERS for v1.2 Dragonspine lore)

New update, new lore, new speculations, here we go again.....

So it’s pretty obvious that a kingdom of sorts existed at the mountain.  The location names on the map include “Entombed City - Ancient Palace” and “Entombed City - Outskirts”.  There are ruins everywhere, stone tablets with symbols that I don’t think we have encountered in any other region, more visual motifs of Celtic knots patterns and the “petal” shapes popping up, more ruin guards, and more mentions of the “white tree” (I believe the official English translation of “cypress” is actually incorrect), which used to be mentioned only in loading screen text as the mysterious tree that grow throughout the continent of Teyvat and seems to be connected to the "Ley Lines". (Or maybe the tree IS the Ley Lines)

Of all the new stuff, there are a few quests and puzzles that were of particular interest and may suffice to tell the story of what happened way back then. These are the "In the Mountains" questline, the 8 stone tablets puzzle, the 3 boxes puzzle, the Frostbearing Tree, and the dragon tooth quest (the one that gives you the spear as reward). Let's start from the 8 stone tablets puzzle. There are 8 stone tablets (they look like the tablets you can find in Liyue, but these have symbols on them that I don't think we've seen in any other place so far.....but I'm not sure so please correct me if I'm wrong) in various places in Dragonspine, mostly near some sort of puzzle. Each can be read and gives a line of text that look like it's part of a longer whole. (They can be read in the "Ancient Carvings" page in the Genshin Impact wiki)

These 8 inscriptions can't be put together by themselves, but must be understood in the context of the "In the Mountains" quest and the 3 boxes puzzle. The 3 boxes puzzle requires 3 quest items, whose descriptions are below:

Now there's a clearer picture of the story. We have 4 characters: a priest/king (Varuch?), an unnamed princess, an unnamed record-keeper, and the outsider Imunlaukr. In the Dragonspine mountain there once existed a city surrounded by lush greenery named Sal Vindagnyr. The princess of the city had a dream of a black dragon (Durin) which was a sign of doom. Then along came Imunlaukr the outsider, who the princess apparently fell in love with. Imunlaukr posessed the sword that could cut apart ice and snow, also known as Snow-Tombed Starsilver. Then for reasons unknown, Imunlaukr left Sal Vindagnyr (according to the record keeper Imunlaukr "abandoned" the princess), and the Skyfrost Nail descended onto the mountaintop altar, thus turning the mountain into the uninhabitable frozen wasteland we see today. The king prayed to the gods in Celestia for guidance and tried to heal the Leyline/white tree, but the gods would not answer him anymore, and the tree withered. Eventually the king died on one of his trips to the altar. Meanwhile the princess tried to paint wall murals (presumably the ones found in the vault room that you can unlock with the 3 boxes; screencaps below; note the sky island Celestia and the worshippers carrying up offerings) depicting the winter disasterland finally melting away, but froze to death before she could finish.

The record keeper, the last person standing, became so disillusioned with the gods that before he died he cursed the whole world to doom by Durin. Eventually Durin did come along and was defeated by Barbatos and Dvalin. Durin fell into the mountain, becoming the giant ribcage seen in the northwest side of Dragonspine. Durin's powers persisted however, as evidenced by the pulsating red heart in the cave below the rib cage, the red crystals, and the crimson agate littered throughout the mountain. By the life-giving (?) power of Durin and the actions of our MC, the white tree came back to life as the Frostbearing Tree, now featuring red crystals growing out of its branches.

So this is the story I've pieced together from the clues. The interesting thing to note here is that Imunlaukr has been mentioned before, in the description of the Sacrificial Greatsword, but as the name of a clan rather than a single individual. Imunlaukr apparently also means "battle-leek" in Old Norse (please correct me if I'm wrong), and refers to some sort of sword. I have not found what "Vindagnyr" might mean.

Now the question is, why did the gods of Celestia drop the nail that doomed Sal Vindagnyr? Did it have something to do with the presence and/or actions of the outsider Imunlaukr? After all, Albedo did tell us that Teyvat is somehow naturally resistant to outside things, so much so that life from the outside cannot grow properly in Teyvat. Also it was hinted that Barbatos chased Durin into Dragonspine purposefully, so perhaps the white tree's revival was not a coincidence.

But regardless of the speculations and questions, one thing is clear at this point: there is definitely a developing theme of humans vs gods. In the travail trailer this is pretty much the theme throughout. In-game in the prologue this wasn't readily apparent, mostly because Barbatos was the god of freedom and didn't quite want to rule Mondstadt, thus there wasn't much room for conflict between him and the humans. In chapter 1 this becomes more important as there was some conflict between the Qixing and the Adepti over who should be the ones governing Liyue, but this was resolved as Morax stepped down and Madam Ping convinced the other Adepti to hand over control to the Qixing. And now we have stories of a whole city that froze because of a gigantic nail dropped by the gods in Celestia. I think we will see this conflict deepening as more of the story is revealed in later regions.

#genshin impact #genshin lore #speculations #theories #dragonspine #long post #spoilers

[uthseikoashx-inflamedme]

Summer of 1899 fanfictions: with Philosophy, ancient Greek and Latin, foreign languages and a bit of Literature

(note: by “Summer of 1899 fanfictions”, I refer to the summer of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald’s meeting as teenagers)

(note: I am not a native speaker, so I apologise for the mistakes, inaccuracies, truly bad use of tenses and wrong phrases. I hope it won’t be too unpleasant. Let me know if something is really not understandable!)

What about philosphy, Latin, etc, but in 1899 fanfictions? (dark academia vibes, I know)

There are already quite a lot of fanfics about it but not enough - because it's so great, let me detail why it is (and expose my headcanons)

(the [1] and [2] are notes, check the end of the post to read them)

(tiny disclaimer: i am not at all an advanced scholar on any of the following topics, just studying that kind of subjects and loving to draw parallels with hp. i hope i won’t say too many wrong things, etc.)

Philosophy :

Moral philosophy

The theories and questions throughout the history of moral philosophy (as far as I know) fit so well with the concerns of our revolutionary boys.

Is there any moral duty? Knowing wizards and witches could solve an amount of muggles' problems, is this immoral for them to stay in the shadows? What about the means of the revolution - is this ok to kill for the Greater Good, to initiate injuries, doom and destruction to build a better world, which cost is acceptable? What about consequentialism, utilitarianism, moral of virtue, deontological philosophy, idk? What's good? What's fair?

More touchy question: the maj-people are able to perform marvellous things, so are they consequently more important than maj-people? Because of their capacities, should they be praised - considered as superior beings - as gods? But if yes, should they treat muggles differently than they would treat wizards? If wizards shouldn’t be considered as superior beings, are they equal to muggles anyway?

And what about the Hallows - is this moral to possess them, considering they mirror Gyges’ ring? Should Albus and Gellet keep them for themselves, use them for the Greater Good (yes they want to, it’s clearly exposed in DH)? Is the Quest important enough to justify sacrifices?

Also, what about Aristotle’s virtue system - being moderate and all, use our reason to be in the middle? Because I’m sure as hell Albus and even more Gellert would reject this idea: isn’t it a form of passivism? (no, but through their pov and situation, they might think that)

(by the way they both read passages of Bentham's and Mill's and Kant's and Plato's and Aristotle's books nobody can convince me otherwise)

(I never read Nietzsche’s extracts and haven’t even merely a define idea of his theories to be honest, except for a few uncertain glimpses of his philosophy - he disagrees with religious morality and is quite vehement about it, and praises an idea of a free human being, released from this moral of the weaks. And as far as I know, I’m pretty sure Gellert would agree with him.)

Political philosophy

I do have a headcanon: Albus and Gellert both read the Republic of Plato (initially because it’s well-known and they didn’t want to be ignorant about it and they surprised themselves being enthralled by Socrates reflexions) ; and quite a lot of their discussions about a perfect society instituted by themselves (and about what’s fair and what’s good) were underpinned by the book.

Is this ok to rule the world? Which system is the best - tyranny, democracy, oligarchy? Are the wizards just like the philosophers and, thus, are righteously meant to be the aristocrats at the top of the government? And are all the wizards as legitimate as Albus and Gellert to rule the world (no)? What’s the acceptable extent of power they should have on civilians? What’s the necessary authority they must be allowed to have on civilians? What about the freedom of the press, of speech (those themes are explored in the Republic and well-), of maj-people and non-maj-people?

Philosophy of desire, joy, pleasure, beauty, etc

Have you ever heard of Plato? (sorry, again, yes.) Well in several Socrates’ dialogs, themes of love and desire are developed (I particularly think about the Symposium) and Albus and Gellert could be convinced by it: the praise of relationships between men, of intellect, of beauty… but also by the myth of Aristophanes (people are halves and search their soulmate (more or less)). Besides, I’ll be quite curious about what Albus and Gellert may say about Alcibiades’ eulogy of Socrates and what they may think of their dynamics.

(long story short, Alcibiades is young and handsome and desires the ugly Socrates, is fascinated by his intellect and considers him as the most interessant man he knows, and can’t help but feeling inferior facing him and being deeply humiliated because Socrates rejects him (on top of that, Alcibiades is drunk and jealous - the parallels to draw between them and our revolutionary boys are bloody interesting but back to the point))

Also, I totally see Albus and Gellert as hedonists during their youth - justifying their immoral and unwise chase of pleasure and complaisance by an artificial sentiment of moderation, temperance, so not true hedonists, like they are not epicurean at all - and this is again something quite compelling, I must admit.

Ancient Greek and Latin :

Latin and ancient Greek at Hogwarts

Throughout the 19th century, the civilizations of antiquity increasingly fascinated the intellectuals - a phantasm around the topic grew and influenced artists and erudite persons, and was furthermore a mark of the cultural capital and level of education of somebody.

Although we haven’t any clue about the fact that Hogwarts changed the disciplines provided through the centuries, we know it is possible : Dumbledore himself almost dismissed divination studies and depending the demands of the students, 7th years can study alchemy (most likely thanks a teaching offered by Dumbledore himself).

And I do have the headcanon that Hogwarts was in the past not that far from studies dispensed in english colleges - or at least, proposed classes of British (magic) Literature, maybe Law (like an elitist subject but necessary to enter in the Ministry and consequently pure-blood kids are always following that course) and, of course, ancient Greek and Latin classes.

And it was necessary, because Latin is the language of spells and most of the magical essays written back in antiquity were in ancient Greek - furthermore, the more complex, ancient and ruthless spells and rituals were based on ancient Greek and not on Latin, more used in everyday, ordinary, common magic (it is again an hc).

(by the way, Arabic and Hebrew could be as well considered as ancient languages used in magic (again an headcanon, but it would underline how magic is complex and has multiple forms and is not just European-centred), but I have the slight feeling that the ideologies and culture of European countries combined with xenophobia and racism have excluded the study of those languages even though they are also vital in the history of magic you know)

Yes it’s based on nothing, but it would be so great and ask so many things about the Wizarding World back in the late 19th and early 20th century - especially about social and political struggle between the population - pure-blood families vs muggle born students, etc [1]. (And it would satisfy my dark academia aesthetic. But quite irrelevant here.)

What about Albus and Gellert then?

Durmstrang could also dispense Latin of Ancient Greek class, in my opinion, but I think (again, imo), it is a bit unlikely. But it does not change the fact that Gellert had always been attracted to Dark magic; so he could have learned the basis by himself in order to decipher ancient Dark ceremonies, etc.

That’s why I think both of them had learnt ancient languages. Maybe Albus took an interest in Celtic dialects (Merlin’s language?), and Gellert was familiar with Vicking Runes. It obviously helped them regarding a lot of their magical and academic performances. Indeed, the boys were able to understand old papers about the Hollows, but also ancient rituals, etc. And thus, had a wide access to a more dangerous, unstable, raw and primeral practice of magic: it was not like the average spells in Latin, but an intricate way to unleash their potential [2].

Besides, only few people - erudites - were as interested as the boys were in these old ways to use magic, and needless to say that neither of those persons were as powerful as Albus and Gellert were. Furthermore, the boys were able to keep a balance between the complexity of the enchantments and the instincts they both have regarding the expression of their magic. They accordingly thought of being more powerful than everybody else.

Foreign languages :

The languages in the schools

It is clear that Hogwarts is exclusively Anglophone. The school is quite small: 40 students per year, so 280 students in all, coming from Great Britain - England, Ireland, Scotland, Yales, so the isles. We could also think that the wizardkind living in the CommonWealth during the colonial age also studied in Hogwarts. (again a hc, but Henry Potter and his son Fleamont were both born in India, fight me)

Durmstrang, on the other hand, could host quite more nationalities. I imagine the school having three main languages: German, French and English. But in fact, English and French are more “officials”, used by administration and in some classes (French was quite important at the time, right? then it was English?). So the students most likely speak between them in German (Germany had been formed in 1871 and I think the Austrian-Ungarian Empire was also Germanophone?), Russian, Hungarian, Lithuanian… well, all the languages spoken in Easten Europe.

(and just to mention it, I believe that Beauxbâtons is a huge school, bigger than Hogwarts and Durmstrang, because we need logic at some point - anyway)

What about Albus and Gellert then, again?

Gellert was probably speaking German, English (obviously, he wrote letters in English, spoke in English with Albus and Aberforth…), maybe French, and maybe another language depending on his mother country. I headcanon him coming from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, but he might as well come from Denmark (the country of Mikkelsen?) or a Balkan State (there were wars here at the end of the 19th century, it could be an interesting theme), etc.

However, I doubt that Albus knew Danish or Hungarian, but he definitely spoke French rather well (he exchanged letters with Nicolas Flamel) and perhaps the basis of something else (Italian? German?).

I do not mention magical foreign languages they could have been familiar with - we know Albus is fluent in Goblegedook and Mermish in 1994, but I doubt he already was in 1899.

(Also, Albus’ mother came from America, so she might be originally from the Native American community and thus know an another language and let Albus know as well, but the fact that she is Christian (most likely, regarding what is her epitaph) let me doubtful; but I’m not enough informed about the Native American history to build meta, headcanon and theories, so I won’t explore this idea more.)

All in all, they are quite familiar with a lot of languages, and they certainly had a few conversations in what was not English (a mix of Latin, Ancient Greek, German and French, perhaps?) to infuriate Aberforth and not let him know about what they were talking about. (headcanon, again)

Literature :

We do not have a lot of clues about fiction - novels, theater or poetry - belonging to the wizarding universe - except Beedle’s Tales, of course. But we can imagine it exists.

Nevertheless, I am more interested in what Albus and Gellert might have read in the muggle literature. Besides, I think it is funny to consider that some writers or playwrights are known by muggles but are in reality wizards and witches - especially Braham Stoker, Mary Shelley… maybe Poe and Shakespeare as well.

So, I imagine that Albus and Gellert would have heard of Goethe, Heine, Novalis for German literature; maybe Hugo, Baudelaire, Flaubert for French literature… most likely Dante (definitely Dante). Though I honestly do not think they were fond of novels and literature, they could have been interested by it sometimes, when it echoed to something in them - Shakespeare, but also the story of Verlaine and Rimbaud, or Oscar Wilde’s story and unique novel.

There is also the theme of Oscar Wilde, homosexual writer, and his trial at the end of the 19th century, which are recurrent topics in 1899 fanfictions - a quite interesting one, imo. Have you ever read the Preface of the Picture of Dorian Gray? Definitely Albus and Gellert vibes.

All in all, I don’t think they may have been interested in literature for literature itself, but rather for the political aspect of it. (except for Shelley, Shakespeare and Dante which are a witch and two wizards, and are interested by the references to magic in the works themselves, again hc)

To conclude :

Even though 1899 fanfictions are great - and I thank you, 1899 fanfictions writers, you are amazing - I quite love the idea of all of this aesthetic that could developed. It is somehow prompt ideas.

(also I an studying humanities so it might be why I see those themes in 1899 fanfics so well, yes)

Thanks for reading! :)

Notes :

[1] : I wrote about the conservative Wizarding World and pure-blood families here:  Why are the Weasleys poor? (eng&fr) (theories about pure-blood families, inheritance, etc) /  How can everyone find their true-love and still be in love after years in HP? (”magic-soulmates” theory and conservative society)

[2] : I wrote about Dark magic and rituals in 1899 here: What if Antonio (Gellert Grindelwald’s chupacabra) had been created in 1899? / What about a dangerous, complicated and a bit gore alchemical experience tried by Albus and Gellert secretly?

And I posted quite a lot of things about GGAD, check the Table of contents if you are interested! :)

#ggad #grindeldore #albus x gellert #gellert x albus #albus dumbledore x gellert grindelwald #gellert grindelwald x albus dumbledore #albus dumbledore #gellert grindelwald #summer of 1899 #latin #ancient greek #hogwarts #hogwarts meta #harry potter meta #harry potter theories #fuck i forgot #gelbus #philosophy #philosophy in harry potter #oscar wilde #i can't believe i've done this #plato #because half of the post is plato #greater good #pure blood families #pure-blood families #wizarding world #conservative wizarding world #19th century