#sphinx!host

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Ormos, Archive Keeper

Artist: G-host Lee TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link

[dare-g]

It's Time To Play the Stache Game, on Grave Mood Rings (2025)

[whos-the-seme]

Shen Qingqiu was doomed.

He stood still, fluttering his fan nervously and trying to avoid catching his counterpart's, the real Shen Qingqiu, glaring eyes from across the room. Instead, he idly observed the other Cang Qiong Mountain Peak Lords, trying to spot the differences between the ones he knew and their alternates.

Liu Qingge had brought back a strange artifact from one of his hunts to the monthly Peak Lord meeting. It was a mirror, rimmed an ugly tarnished gold, topped with a decoration that was shaped into an unidentifiable creature with ruby red eyes.

[Important Artifact Detected: Red-Eyed Sphinx's Mirror! Quest starting...]

Shen Qingqiu had been trying to remember where it might have appeared in PIDW when the surface of the mirror suddenly began to glow a dull yellow. It quickly brightened until it obscured everyone's vision.

And then, there stood another set of peak lords across the room, facing them down.

System, what on earth is going on???

[Quest started: Lost Long Spirit in My Reflection! Other characters have been transported to this universe. Host must find a way to send them back without revealing his identity as a transmigrator.]

WTF? I didn't agree to this!

[Good luck!]

System??? Get back here!

While the two Yue Qingyuans and Xu Qinglis conversed together to try to understand what had happened, the other peak lords had begun to mingle with each other, curious about their counterparts.

Shen Qingqiu tried to suppress his panic, sticking close to Shang Qinghua. His Yue Qingyuan occasionally flicked his softened gaze towards the alternate Shen Qingqiu, likely noticing that the other still acted as he used to before his qi deviation. In fact, several of the peak lords he had gotten to know over the years were sending some looks at the other Shen Qingqiu.

With the original goods right there, how long would it be before something exposed him as a fraud?? What if he was confronted about why he acted so differently?

[Host must avoid having his identity exposed. Being revealed as a transmigrator will result in Host being immediately sent back to his old body.]

Yeah, yeah, same shit as always!

Looking to his side, Shang Qinghua seemed to be experiencing the same threats, desperately looking away from the more dead-eyed Shang Qinghua across the room who, luckily, was barely paying him any attention.

Fuck, what do we do?

---

Shen Qingqiu continued to glare at the Other Shen Qingqiu in the room. The other Shen Qingqiu was so obviously a fraud, he could tell within minutes of being here. While his alternate seemed somewhat familiar, he didn't act like him at all, his mannerisms were all off, and despite the attempt at keeping a poker face, Shen Qingqiu could tell that he was nervous. Probably at being caught out.

His alternate self had likely been replaced with a bodysnatcher or some sort of spirt, if they truly were supposed to be the same person. Was everyone else stupid, or had they had their brains sucked out by a Heart Mouthed Lobster-Squid?

Or maybe they simply like the bodysnatcher better and didn't bother to investigate.

Shen Qingqiu's face became stormier, turning his glare to the Other Yue Qingyuan, wondering if he had felt happier once his precious Xiao-Jiu had vanished. The other Yue Qingyuan's face grew even more pathetic. Tch. Typical.

"That stupid System--" Shen Qingqiu nearly snapped his neck in looking at the bodysnatcher upon hearing his murmur. The fraud, upon noticing his sudden attention, clammed back up and looked away. But Shen Qingqiu knew what he heard.

Xi Tong.

He hadn't heard those words in years, not since--

He stepped forward, scanning the other once more. Upon a second, more thorough look, Shen Qingqiu realized that he grew more familiar. He wore his hair in the way that Shen Qingqiu wore it, but looser and less severe. His eyes were clearer and lighter, with hints of a smile, despite his nerves. He occasionally quickly glanced up and to his left, as if seeing something there, before bringing his attention back to the room at large.

No. It couldn't be. He was long dead, despite Shen Qingqiu's best efforts. Even if the fake had some similar things about him, that doesn't mean--

Shen Jiu had once had a brother, besides Qi-ge. Slightly smaller than him, despite the fact that Shen Jiu passed him along as much food as he could when on the streets. He smiled so much despite their circumstances, and was so kind despite Shen Jiu constantly telling him that he was making himself a target. But he looked so, so similar to Shen Jiu himself. They could have switched their clothes and looked exactly the same, if one didn't notice the difference in their demeanors.

His brother has also always been a little odd, talking to himself and arguing with an imaginary friend that only he could see named Xi Tong. One of the reasons that they survived as long as they did on the streets was due to the inexplicable knowledge that his brother seemed to have. Somehow, his brother knew about the various plants or small animals that they could hunt and sell for a pretty coin in the markets. Shen Jiu never asked, not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

But his brother was dead. He had died years ago, in the time during when they were in Qiu's manor. During a punishment for Shen Jiu's attempt to get them both to join Wu Yanzi; he had switched their clothes and taken Shen Jiu's place and died for it. That had been the final catalyst that made him set the manor ablaze and escape, mourning his brother's death as his fault for daring to be free. Cursing Qi-ge for not coming back for them.

Dazed and his vision dim, Shen Jiu took another step forward, and another. Hope, something he thought he had killed off long ago, slowly rose in his chest.

Had his brother survived in this world? Had he managed to escape alongside Shen Jiu? Or had Shen Jiu died in his place? Dimly, he can't help but think that the world would be far kinder if that were the case. If his brother had made it to Cang Qiong Mountain and became a peak lord all on his own and still managed to keep his smile. If he didn't have Shen Jiu dragging him down with him.

The other Shen Qingqiu, not having noticed his approach, laughed at something the other Shang Qinghua said ("Wonder if Shang Qinghua is a traitor here, too," Shen Jiu thought dimly). His laugh was the same. He rose his fan to hide his face, but Shen Jiu noticed how his nose crinkled, and his eyes nearly closed in delight, exactly like--

"A-Yuan?"

[moonwoodhollow]

Studio PBP Reimagined by Moonwoodhollow I love Del Sol Valley, it's a great world that unfortunately offers very little when it comes to the prebuilds, which is why I always steered clear of it, except for building in the less glamorous neighbourhood. When a lovely person commissioned me to rebuild Studio PBP in an Art Déco style I was a bit intimidated at first but thanks to the absolutely incredible Bioshock CC-Set (1|2|3) by @surely-sims, @doctorsimcraft and @lumenniveus I was able to recreate Studio PBP as a lounge/bar/nightclub worthy of Del Sol Valley and its celebrities. I hope you'll enjoy this build and escape to the roaring twenties with your sims!

More screenshots, info + download link under the cut!

building background

Art Déco is one of the best-known architectural styles of the first half of the 20th century and originated from Jugendstil, Cubism and a few other art and architectural styles (Wiener Secession, Avantgarde, Futurism to name a few) in the latter half of the 19th century. While it's a global architectural style, there are a few regional differences, but for Studio PBP I concentrated on mostly US-American Art Déco buildings and used a somewhat less playful style for the facade that is still very bold. Since Art Déco was also hugely influenced by Ancient Egyptian art and architecture and Mesopotamian Architecture, I added some 'Egyptian' details to the lot in the forms of columns, sphinx and statues. There's so much more to write about this multi-faceted gorgeous architectural style, but this is meant only as a small introduction and to set the mood for the build:

So what do you get?

Studio PBP Reimagined is a 40x30 lot best placed in Del Sol Valley in the Starlight Boulevard neighbourhood. The lot is currently set as a bar lot but is playtested for the lounge and nightclub lot type as well. Currently, everyone regardless of their celebrity status can visit the lounge, if you'd like to change this you'd need to change the entry doors on the first floor. The lot consists of 3 floors and a huge outdoor pool area where your sims can lounge or swim. The first floor is designed to host the Starlight Accolades, whereas the 2nd floor is the bar area of the lot, where your sims can sip cocktails, and hold clandestine business or affair meetings... I won't judge! The 3rd floor is the nightclub portion of the building and is perfect for dancing the night away!

Uses items from the following packs: looks best with almost all packs. But a tip: take a look at the build in the gallery and click on the packs to see the items I used from that pack, it will also look good with fewer packs, as in without the kits.

Download: google drive (430mb) | and up on the gallery: aeromantica (but you’ll need the cc from the drive folder)

Is the cc included? yes.

-> The cc is updated for DX11.

TOU: Please don’t claim as your own or put behind paywalls etc. If you find any issues please let me know + tag me if you’ll use the building, I’d love to see it in your games.

If you like what I do and want to show your appreciation, I have a ko-fi!

[platycryptus]

Gnamptopelta obsidianator is a large ichneumon wasp whose coloration mimics a spider wasp (Entypus).

It’s a specialized parasitoid of sphinx moth caterpillars, especially those in the subfamily Macroglossinae (such as Eumorpha species). Many of these caterpillars feed on grapevine and related plants, so G. obsidianator seeks out those plants to find hosts.

(Massachusetts, 6/6/24)

[greenwitchcrafts]

August 2024 Witch Guide

New Moon: August 4th

First Quarter: August 12th

Full moon: August 19th

Last Quarter: August 26th

Sabbats: Lughnasadh/Lammas- August 1st

August Sturgeon Moon

Also known as: Barely Moon, Black Cherries Moon, Corn moon, Dispute Moon, Harvest moon, Herb Moon, grain moon, Mountain Shadows Moon, Red moon, Ricing Moon, Weodmonath & Wyrt moon

Element: Fire

Zodiac: Leo & Virgo

Animal spirts: Dryads

Deities: Diana, Ganesha, Hathor, Hecate, Mars, Nemesis, Thot & Vulcan

Animals: Dragon, lion, phoenix & sphinx

Birds: Crane, eagle & falcon

Trees: Alder, cedar & hazel

Herbs: Basil, bay, fennel, orange, rosemary, rue & St.John's wort

Flowers: Angelica, chamomile, marigold & sunflower

Scents: Frankincense & heliotrope

Stones: Carnelian, cats/tiger's eye, emerald, fire agate, garnet, jade, moonstone, peridot, red jasper, red agate, sardonyx, topaz & tourmaline

Colors: Dark green, gold, orange, red & yellow

Energy: Abundance, appreciation, authority, courage, entertainment, finding your voice, friendship, gathering, harvesting energy, health, love, pleasures, power, prophecy, prosperity, vitality & wisdom

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes & Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer & an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

• August's full moon is the first Supermoon of the year, which means that it will appear bigger & brighter than the full Moons we have seen so far!

Lughnasadh

Known as: Lammas, August Eve  & Feast of Bread

Season: Summer

Element: Fire

Symbols: corn, grain dollies & shafts of grain

Colors: Gold, golden yellow, green, light brown, orange, purple, red & yellow

Oils/Incense: Aloe, apple, corn, eucalyptus, safflower, rose & sandalwood

Animals: Cattle (bull & calf)

Birds: Chicken/Rooster

Stones: Aventurine, carnelian, citrine, peridot, sardonyx & yellow diamond

Food: Apples, barely cakes, berries, berry pies, breads, colcannon, cider, corn, grains, honey, lamb, nuts, potatoes, rice, sun-shaped cookies & wild berries

Herbs/Plants: Alfalfa, aloe, blackberry, bramble, corn, cornsilk, corn stalk, crab apple, fenugreek, frankincense, ginseng, goldenseal, gorse, grape, medowsweet, oak leaves, pear, rye, sloe & wheat

Flowers:  Clyclamen, heather hollyhock & sunflower

Trees: Acacia, apple, myrtle,oak & rowan

Goddesses: Aine, Alphito, Bracacia, Carmen, Ceres, Damina, Danu, Demeter, Ereshkigal, Freya, Frigga, Gaia, Inanna Ishtar, Kait, Persephone, Sul, Taillte, Tea & Zaramama

Gods: Athar, Bes, Bran, Dagon, Dumuzi, Ebisu, Ghanan, Howtu, Liber, Lono, Lugh, Neper, Odin & Xochipilli

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Accomplishment, agriculture, challenges, darkness, death, endings, release & transformation

Spellwork: Abundance, bounty, fire magick, rituals of thanks & sun magick

Activities:

• Bake fresh bread

• Weave wheat

• Take walks in nature or along bodies of water

• Craft a corn doll

• Learn a new skill

• Watch the sunrise/sunset

• Leave grains and seeds in a place where birds, squirrels and other small animals can appreciate them

• Eat outside with family/friends/coven members

• Donate to your local foodbank

• Prepare a feast with your garden harvest

• Give thanks & offerings to the Earth

• Trade crafts of make deals

• Gather and/or dry herbs to use for the upcoming year

• Celebrate/honor the god Lugh by hosting a competition of games

• Participate in matchmaking or handfasting ceremonies

• Decorate your altar with symbols of the season

• Clean up a space in nature

• Plant saved seeds or save seeds to use in the future

Lughnasadh or Lammas is a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season. Historically it was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland & the Isle of Man. Traditionally it is held on 1 August, or about halfway between the summer solstice & autumn equinox. In recent centuries some of the celebrations have shifted to the Sunday nearest this date.

Lughnasadh is mentioned in early Irish literature & has pagan origins. The festival is named after Lugh the god of craftsmanship. It was also founded by the god Lugh as a funeral feast & athletic competition/funeral games in memory of his foster-mother Tailtiu. She was said to have died of exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for agriculture.

• Tailtiu may have been an earth goddess who represented the dying vegetation that fed mankind.

• Another tale says that Lugh founded the festival in memory of his two wives, the sisters Nás & Bói. 

In the Middle Ages it involved great gatherings that included ceremonies, athletic contests (most notably the Tailteann Games which were extremely dangerous), horse racing, feasting, matchmaking & trading.

• With the coming of Christianity to the Celtic lands, the old festival of Lughnasadh took on Christian symbolism. Loaves of bread were baked from the first of the harvested grain & placed on the church altar on the first Sunday of August. The Christianized name for the feast of Lughnasadh is Lammas which means “loaf mass”.

Some believe this is the time where the God has weakened & is losing his strength as seen in the waning of the day's light. The Goddess is pregnant with the young God who will be born on Yule.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[shimada-death]

I don't have time for building like a big theory rn but I'm 95% sure Devilora is NOT the witch (currently) and she's trying to stop the current witch. She has made a deal with the Sphinxs which is starting in this chapter (not in the previous) (why would the witch try to hire them if what she wanted was them to be scared of her?)

On the buffet puffet whatever it's called it ends with Truth's letters warning kids to run for their lives. She's using the Sphinxs to warn kids

"the witch yet reigns supreme in MMS and she will claim the price she seeks"

She looks as scared as the Sphinxs, why would she if she was the witch? Why would she need a name? If she was the witch she would know what the prize is, unless she doesn't know who the current witch is

Who reigns supreme over the MMS? who is above VICEprincipal Devilora Dunatch? Who casually "finds" the wallet Paige gave the witch?

Who comes out of her house at the same time the narration mentions the witch came out of her house?

The witch is hiding from abandoned hosts, that can't be Mina because she isn't in town. Devilora is searching the name of the witch.

And the main reason: at this point of the story they still haven't EXPLICITLY said "Fauxbia is Devilora 100%" they've been avoiding it with lots of worldplay and implying but not confirming it, only characters GUESSING she could be the witch or mentioning she WAS the witch.

what would the point ve narratively speaking to avoid it so long if we all know she's the witch already.

And last but not least

Who wouldn't be an unlikely ally if not control freak VICEprincipal Devilora Demonelle Dunatch?

[onenicebugperday]

hey! i'm trying to bolster my local hawk moth population and do to so I wanna supply some local (kansan) plants for their caterpillars to feed on. Pollenating side i've got pretty fleshed out, but i wonder if youve got some sugguestions! I've got evening primrose already and i'm considering a buckbrush but i'm wondering if theres more i can do. Thankyou!

This isn't easy to answer because there are a few dozen species of sphinx moths in your area and they all have different host plants. I would say look at the species in your area here, then look up their host plants, THEN decide what to plant. It may require a fair bit of research.

[drazillion]

Drawfee Tarot Analysis with Draz

Nathan Past - The Sun / Present - Strength

The Sun is a card of unbridled positivity and optimism. When you see it upright in a reading, it is always a good sign. But it's also a card that's often unrealistic and naive. Other cards come with warnings, but the Sun does not.

Strength reminds us that physical force is one manifestation of power. Emotional strength is equally as important. The maiden has tamed the lion with her kindness and compassion, not by besting it in a fight. Still, it is important to remember that on this card, both maiden and lion share the mantle of Strength. It is both of them, not one or the other.

Both largely positive cards, the Sun and Strength embolden each other.

In regards to Nathan in particular, I have to point out the similarities of Nathan's 2024 avatar and the duality of the maiden and the lion. Nathan is perhaps best known for his kindness and warmth, qualities exemplified by the sun, but ignoring the wide spectrum of his feelings is like ignoring the lion. Personally, I admire him for his ability to keep his optimism and his bitterness and rage in balance.

Therefore, in a sense, Nathan's cards represent his increasing willingness to share his more negative frustrations, while never losing sight of the light of the sun.

Jacob Past - The Fool / Present - The Chariot

The Fool is unique in that it is the 0th Major Arcana. The Fool is unbound by numbers, by order. The Fool is potential incarnate, inviting us to leap towards the future and seize the day. The Fool does not care about plans, preferring to deal with each new situation as they arise.

In comparison, the Chariot is a focused force with a goal in mind and with the confidence to see it through. The two sphinxes that drive the chariot represent opposing desires, but upright the charioteer is able to get the sphinxes to move forward together through sheer willpower alone.

Together, they are a confident duo encouraging forward momentum. The Chariot reins in the Fool's more reckless aspects while the Fool reminds the Chariot to still have fun along the journey and that keeping plans flexible is important.

These two cards clearly represent Jacob's journey since Drawfee became independent. While his role as episode and stream host (in particular trying to get everyone through the intro) is the most obvious, this also includes his role as content strategist. His analytical side is where his Chariot aspects shine brightest. In addition, the Fool and the Chariot combine when he makes music. When Jacob's well crafted plans fall apart, it is the Fool that comes to his rescue.

Karina Past - The Empress / Present - The Magician

Representing Mother Nature, the Empress is all about beauty and creativity. The Empress asks us to embrace qualities traditionally seen as feminine, regardless of gender. You are not weak or lesser for taking care of yourself or expressing yourself. The Empress encourages us to get in touch with our emotions, as well as the natural world.

The Magician is numbered 1 in the Major Arcana, and represents the transformation of the raw potential of the Fool into something actionable. The Magician has all the tools needed to fulfill their desires, but those tools might not necessarily look usable in their current state. The Magician must recognize this and realize the true nature of these tools.

The Empress and the Magician are both creative cards and support each other in this endeavor, provided that the querent (person the card reading is about) takes initiative.

Though both cards symbolize Karina's journey these past four years, it is no surprise that the Magician is one of them, with the creation of Sonny Mama and other mixed media creations in the past year. Nothing exemplifies the Magician more than literally using things like a log and a brick as part of a sculpture. The Empress's presence is subtler though the numerous plants that live in Karina's apartment give it away.

Julia Past - The Tower / Present - The Emperor

Due to its name, Death is often seen as the "worst" Major Arcana card. It's not. That distinction goes to the Tower (though the "worst" tarot card overall goes to the Ten of Swords). The Tower is sudden upheaval, is destruction, is disaster. Yet even so, the Tower is not an unredeemable card. Far from it. Sometimes a situation is so bad the only way to end it is to obliterate it. Sometimes the old must be destroyed to give way for the new. The Tower does not give us the tools to rebuild, that is something we have to do on our own, but it does show us that it is possible to build something better from the rubble.

The Emperor represents an authoritative figure who enforces structure in an otherwise chaotic world. Equally, the Emperor is a strategist who keeps in mind the needs of others when making decisions. The Emperor is also a protector, shouldering burdens so that others don't have to.

It can be easy to think of these two cards as complete opposites. In reality, this means they are both sides of the same coin. If the Tower is destruction of the old paradigm, then the Emperor is the establishment of the new.

The Collegehumor Layoffs exemplify the idea of the Tower. An established workplace that came crashing down. And Julia, the Emperor, rose up to the challenge of dealing with all the paperwork that would eventually lead to Drawfee's independence. Four years later, Drawfee still benefits from the work Julia did, not to mention the fact that she continues to deal with everything finance related in regards to the company. Not to mention all of the other tasks Julia takes on. While all five members of Drawfee are essential, it would be safe to say Drawfee would be unable to exist in its current form without Julia.

[shouldertheskies]

I would love to see your infodump extensively about the Thebaid (and particularly Polynices and Tydeus, both together and separately) if you're willing? I haven't read it yet and I'm not sure if I will (kinda struggling to find a translation that I don't find awkward to read, my brain just does not take in the words lol) but I love these two and want to know as much as possible

I am asking you mostly because I think you would enjoy talking about them lol but if you don't have time or wouldn't find it entertaining then you don't have to!!

hii thanks so much for the ask! i am literally always down to infodump about the Thebaid and especially about Polynices and/or Tydeus because those two freaks live rent free in my brain. i honestly have so many thoughts on them idk where to even begin lmao.

i guess I can do quick summaries and highlight some things from my previous read of Statius' Thebaid:

[got too long oops]

Tydeus is the son of Oeneus of Calydon and Periboea, daughter of Hipponous. This makes him the half-brother of Meleager (famous for being the host of the Calydonian Boar Hunt), who was the son of Oeneus' first wife Althea.

While this is not mentioned in Statius' Thebaid, Meleager and his siblings (Althea's kids) were likely already dead by the time Tydeus was born: according to other traditions, Oeneus marries Periboea in the aftermath of the quarrel over the Calydonian Boar (wherein Meleager and his brothers were killed, and his sisters were turned to birds by Artemis).

Tydeus does have a full brother in Statius' Thebaid, though; said brother is never named, unfortunately, but in other sources he is named Olenias.

Tydeus is exiled for the crime of killing said brother; we know he feels horror and guilt over it, but this is never brought up again. My personal headcanon is that the killing was accidental; for a very well written headcanon compilation on this, please check out Ley's post! (also: @aster-aspera wrote a fic!)

He encounters Polynices outside the palace of Argos, while trying to take shelter amidst a storm during the night. Neither of them are in the mood to tolerate each other's presence and decide to throw hands about it like mature adults. Here we learn that neither is unwilling to fight dirty - theyre kneeing the other's nuts and trying to jab out the other's eyes and almost end up taking out their swords before Adrastus intervenes.

Now, Tydeus happens to be wearing a boar's hide, and Polynices a lion's skin (notably, both of these animals are associated with the famous monsters of Calydon and Thebes: The Calydonian Boar, and the Sphinx, respectively. The narrative starts associating our two heroes with monsters very early on). Adrastus had received a prophecy telling him to marry his daughters to a lion and a boar - to ''men one mistakes for beasts'' - and so he almost immediately offers Polynices and Tydeus his daughters' hands in marriage.

Polynices is the son of Oedipus and Jocasta - and let's just say he's not exactly proud of the fact. he hesitates to reveal his parentage to Adrastus not once but twice, and when he finally does so, it's in a notably self-pitying manner. Polynices in general has a tendency towards self-deprecation, and though sometimes it's a ploy to gain sympathy, often it comes off as just. genuinely low self-esteem

Polynices and Tydeus become friends almost immediately after the brawl. the narrator in fact compares their relationship to Orestes and Pylades in Book 1, and literally calls them soulmates near the start of Book 2. like in case u had any doubts: these bitches gay

Also, Tydeus is actually more likely to insult Polynices than the other way around: he offhandedly insults Polynices' bloodline in Book 2, and calls him an idiot in Book 7 (to be fair, that time is more so out of concern). Polynices in contrast actually repeatedly praises Tydeus everytime he speaks to him (iirc he refers to him as ''greatest Tydeus'' at least twice). I know its funny for Polynices to make fun of Tydeus in fanworks, but there is literally zero evidence for that ever happening in the Thebaid lmao

Even though Adrastus promises both of them that he'll help them regain their kingdoms, Tydeus seems. honestly just uninterested in regaining Calydon? Like he brings it up exactly once, in his address to Athena after the ambush at the Sphinx's Rock, and never again. on the other hand he's more adamant about going to war against Thebes than even Polynices is - Polynices if anything is honestly very half-hearted about the whole thing, and Tydeus ends up being the real instigator of the war on several occasions.

Also - Tydeus is noted to be utterly incapable of sitting still or tolerating boredom. when he's not training or preparing for war he fills in the time with sports, more specifically wrestling matches. King of hyperactive ADHD tbh

I've also noticed that Tydeus has a tendency to allude to mythical events/past heroes etc. far more than others, in all his speeches? like all characters do it, because it's a staple of the epic genre, but Tydeus notably does it more often than others. i'm not saying his special interest is heroic history but. I'm also not not saying that

ok i actually have. way more things to say but this has already gotten Quite long so ynw. I'll stop yapping here and continue in the reblogs at some other point in time. ty for the ask again and ciao <3

[amateurvoltaire]

Little Yellow Emperor: the Life of Napoleon in LEGO

The Battle of Waterloo Domain is hosting a LEGO exhibit called "THE LEGEND OF NAPOLEON IN LEGO BRICKS." As a recovering LEGO addict and an eternal fan of 18th/19th-century French history, I simply had to go. After successfully bribing the husband with beer and fries and the children with waffles, we made the trip today.

The exhibition was smaller than I expected, but some of the builds were genuinely impressive. It traces Napoleon's life from his birth in Corsica to his death on Saint Helena—a neat, bite-sized way to introduce his story, and a fun way of recreating history. However, one thing that did bug me a bit: while the audio guide is available in multiple languages, all the wall texts are in French. In a trilingual country, especially at such a touristy site, that feels like a bit of a miss (plus, it gave the Dutch-speaking husband an excuse to grumble).

Gripes aside (1), the exhibit was a lot of fun. Here are my favourite builds.

1. The Campaign in Egypt

This recreation of Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign is absolutely brilliant. The photos don’t do it justice—every detail, from the Sphinx to the busy French camp, is spot on. It's also huge and apparently took close to 70 hours to build! @chickenmadam can you spot Kléber?

2. Napoleon's Coronation as Emperor

The second build, depicting Napoleon's coronation, may be smaller, but it's full of impressive details. I especially loved the grumpy expression on Pope Pius VII’s face, along with the equally unimpressed looks from the rest of the clergy—it really adds character to the scene!

3. The Coup on 18th Brumaire

Again not a very big build but... those red capes... the hats... the outfits —need I say more?

4. Napoleon asks Josephine for a Divorce

This moment is supposed to be, by all accounts, heart-wrenching for everyone involved—Napoleon asking Josephine for a divorce. But, since it’s LEGO, it ends up looking unintentionally hilarious.

5. The Crossing of the Berezina River

This is another brilliant build, capturing what was arguably Napoleon's greatest military disaster. While it's not as large as the Egypt campaign scene, it’s packed with intricate details that make it just as interesting.

6. Napoleon's Civil Code

Yes. He has a GIANT parchment.

7. Daddy Napoleon and his son

Because the King of Rome has a purple teddybear and a grumpy statue of his dad in his room...

Bonus: The Battle of the Arcole Bridge

Not particularly impressive per see as a build, but this is one of my favourite moments in Napoleon's story, so... why not?

Notes

(1) Yes, they recreated the siege of Toulon. No, Bonbon isn't in it. That makes me sad.

[trudivination]

Devilora is not the fear witch.

Currently.

If we can take Mina’s and Patchworm’s memories at face value, 13 years ago she was the witch.

Devilora has her own agenda, but the narration has never named her explicitly as the fear witch Fauxbia.

Ladies gentlemen themthelmen and all others we have been duped. And it’s been a while since I had a good theory to chew on cause all the others were right! Still riding the high of the Baxter confirmation.

To start: Devilora in all of her appearances is not so thematically aligned with fear as she is order. She’s a puppet master make no mistake. But her obsession is order, she doesn’t rule through fear she rules through the student council and its 12 black saint councilor generals and the 6 dozen Vice black Saint sub-councilor lieutenant generals. When students were screaming in fear from seeing a totally normal kid get his arms brutally torn off, her reaction wasn’t to amplify the fear, it was a terrible attempt at reassuring them.

Devilora let hijack and Jeff go when she realized something.

During that moment, we see her eye. She’s not in spirit control 24/7 as some have suspected or if she is, the spirit isn’t Fauxbia. But if she was Fauxbia she had what Davy feared right in front of her! Proof that there’s an easier way to take bodies! But instead of hauling Jeff away she leaves calling him small fry.

Why would Fauxbia tell the student council they can’t detain someone preemptively? She eats spirits! Why would ethics suddenly apply here? Fauxbia uses captive spirits to achieve her plans but Devilora uses willing peons and the best their teamwork could come up with was just a normal throw. Devilora works with the sphinxes even this current day but Fauxbia has their powers already in hand.

To quote what @specific-rim713 messaged me, “And finally you cannot seriously tell me that fauxbia cares about wearing normal clothes on pajama day”

Cody THINKS he knows Fauxbia is the VP. But that makes this interaction very very interesting.

Fauxbia has a weird reaction for someone who’s just been called out, but this could be read as an amused reaction of “lmao he thinks I’m Devilora still”.

There is a character thematically aligned with fear, always anxious and afraid. Who exited a house wearing a giant sun hat at the same time. Who cannot be a normal person cause the only normal person at Bayview Biddle school is Mr. Starchman.

Principal Pleezedo is Fauxbia’s current host.

Here’s where I dip more into pure speculation. I think the witch has been placing spirits into the children who could be potential hosts. Which is why we see nonstandard eye designs on people like Suzy and Collin. If I’m not just inventing things at this point they’re mediums along with many others who just don’t have the power forge and king catnine did to make their spectrals awaken so quickly. Fauxbia devours the weak. She can also place the weak where she wants like she did with the ring for Ritz. It only makes sense if you consider her goal is a spectral awakening for her to pilot. Doubt she wants Francisco’s grandkid or the child who lives in the dojo however, that’s inviting way too much scrutiny down on her head. King Catnine won’t fear her so she can’t force him out of Isaac or take his power, and max is an unknown to her so far.

There’s one student though I’m pretty sure has met her spirit. I’m pretty sure she’s been pulled into spirit trance multiple times. She just hasn’t realized what she’s seeing. Because she thinks her spirit is an alien.

Alex might be a prize. Poor girl. But maybe now she can be in on the story! Careful what you wish for hun.

[floridensis]

my sister found this pluto sphinx moth caterpillar running off to who knows where. i out it back on its host food and am watching it. it was eating a lot at first but its been in this pose for about a day now. is this good or bad?

[chbnews]

WEEKLY NEWS 4/20/25-4/27/25

Join the CHB News Discord!

Camp Announcements:

- Happy Easter for all the campers who celebrate! Even if you don’t, some of the Demeter, Dionysus, and Athena kids have arranged an egg scavenger hunt! Some eggs have drachma, cash, and other cool things inside- as well as candy from the mortal world! Have fun! (Please remember to play fairly, some of those eggs are in some really weird places..)

- Chiron has asked us to inform everyone that there might be a night of rain while he works with Dionysus to readjust the barrier. He also asks for campers to remain in camp during this time.

- Cabin Summer Games Championship sign ups are opening on Wednesday! One camper from each cabin can sign up for the different activities during the week-long even in June! (I will not be participating in this, but I am a referee. Also, I won’t be accepting bribes.)

- The alert about a Sphinx in the woods was investigated and revealed that there was no Sphinx, it was simply spell practice from some of the Hecate kids.

Camper Updates:

- The Poseidon camper that was injured in the arts and crafts incident is now cleared to join back in camp activities!

- Nyssa Barrera and Miranda Gardiner (spelled Gardener in the original draft?) are working on building a greenhouse so that we can grow new herbs, fruits, and veggies here at camp!

- Tyson the Cyclops is visiting camp this week! If you see him around, don’t be alarmed! He’s very friendly!

- Felix Pearce from the Nemesis Cabin has finally departed from camp after a whopping SIX years of being here! Good luck, Felix!

Game Winnings:

- A few campers banded together to create a one-on-one sparring bracket. The winner was Maxwell Vance from the Ares cabin! He won a brand new sword from the Hephaestus cabin!

- The Hephaestus Cabin took the win in the Chariot Race! (Will had a lot of overtime in the medical wing following that chariot race, but no deaths… this time.)

- A small group of campers held some Pegasus races. The winner was Arlo (Hebe Cabin) with their Pegasus, Artax. (… I just watched the never ending story. Please don’t let that poor Pegasus near a swamp.)

- Blade Sparring tournament sign ups are open! So far Lukas Fraust (Zeus Cabin) is holding the crown!

Upcoming Events:

- “Lightning Strikes and Sky Etiquette” hosted by the Zeus Cabin, Sunday night in the Cabin Green.

- “Illusions vs. Reality” hosted by the Hecate Cabin, Monday afternoon at the Beach.

- “DIY: Shieldmaking” hosted by the Hephaestus Cabin, Monday afternoon in the Forges.

- “Water Combat Tactics” hosted by the Poseidon and Athena Cabins, Tuesday afternoon at the Canoe Lake

- “Poisonous Plants and Monster Antidotes” hosted by the Demeter Cabin, Tuesday evening at the Big House. (Just hope you won’t be turned into a corn plant. Or any plant. It’s not fun.)

- “Battlefield Chess: Strategical Moves for Combat” hosted by the Athena Cabin, Wednesday morning in the Arena.

- “Dress It Like You Mean It!” hosted by the Aphrodite Cabin, Wednesday evening in the Amphitheater.

- “Basic First Aid for the Adventerous” hosted by the Apollo Cabin, Thursday afternoon in the Big House. (Will asks me to urge you all to come to this.)

- “Faux-lympus: The Trojan War” hosted by the Apollo and Dionysus Cabins, Friday Night in the Amphitheater.

Camp Gossip:

- Apparently some Iris messages are being interrupted by weird koi fish. (We don’t know if it’s a camper or Iris just messing with everyone. It’s fun t though. )

- The Hermes Cabin has been uncharacteristically quiet, and we like to think it’s because one of them is harboring a pet. (We all know it’s Roman with that raccoon he nonchalantly mentioned at dinner four days ago.)

- Connor and Travis are accused of swapping out the camp dessert of cherry and strawberry jello with red pepper jello.

- An unnamed Aphrodite kid said that the Poseidon cabin has.. apparently been moving rocks around as some sort of “building Atlantis” project?

- Despite getting into an argument, an Aphrodite and a Hermes kid have been seen together at the canoe lake.

Weekly Question:

What is your favorite color? (Doesn’t have to just be like red, or green. Can be something wildly out there like Mountain Dew Baja Blast teal)

Last Week’s Question:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what TWO things would you bring with you?

Camper Answers:

“Probably seeds and neverending water” - Tyler Rosemary

“Neverending sunscreen and a music player that never runs out of battery” - Lyric Kennedy

Thank you to Nico di Angelo for helping with this week’s news!

[bakedbananners]

fauxbia needs a new host that’s preferably already a spectral, she has black spectral energy, and she’s controlling the sphinxes… guys I think she’s gonna try to possess max lol

[blipple-is-confused]

do you have a full character list for paradoxcicle? I'm trying to create a personal list of all of charlie's characters but I can't really find a good one anywhere and I figured you'd have a pretty comprehensive list (no pressure just wondering)

Fair of all the people to ask I'm probably most likely to have a list for this lmao (and I do >:])

JRWI Riptide: Gillion, Goobleck JRWI prime force/defenders: Ms Gilbert, William JRWI mythborne: Romeo Juliet JRWI apotheosis: Peter, Exandroth JRWI blood in the bayou: Rachel Rand JRWI Suckening: Edward twilight (plus the NPCs) JRWI the final episode: dark brian JRWI Wonderlust: Troy Lougferd Old unlisted JRWI campaign: Br'aad DSMP: Slime Tales from the SMP the maze: Mr Cicle OSMP: Slimecicle QSMP: El Backflipo, gegg We made the hardest Minecraft difficulty Slimecicle video: god Charlie Minecraft 100 days apocalypse slmccl video: Exterminator Classrooms slmccl video: Robert BG3 slimecicle video: Xiv Generation loss: C Tom Simons we went back to school video: chad Bussy Sorry boys game show video: The Host (and also every other sorry boys video character) Wolfquest streams: Slarf Corn video: Cornelius Cornwall Ranboo subathon dnd thing: Bruce trayne Jaiden subathon dnd thing: mark Thompson Chuckle dungeon: Keith, Mr Perfect Chuckle sandwich: chuck ectocicle Tommyinnit Minecraft mod series: Wimothy (wither video), big duck (poison gas video), slusan (pirates video)

^ these are all the guys featured in Paradoxcicle, I didn't feature characters from the one shot JRWI campaigns because I haven't listened to them yet (although Strangle McCock did appear briefly because he's iconic). After that there's the King from his elden ring streams, the sphinx from the third chuckle dungeon and then some various other ones that I'm not sure if you'd count as characters or not:

Duolingo owl kidnapping, lethal company worm, being in character playing dredge and silent hill and still wakes the deep, getting trapped in his computer at the edge of kinitopet

Hope this helps :3