#(several devoted worshippers Did Not Like That)

[didsomeonesayventus]

hello i love!!! ur alearcryst art!!! it's so soft and it fits them perfectly. i've just recently gotten into the ship n ur content is giving me Life thank u.

HELL YEA please they are so incredibly soft and devoted to each other I am shaking the fandom they're so so so good stop sleeping on them stop sleeping on anxious lil guy becomes god's favorite blorbo ever and the power and beauty of deep and wholly unconditional, fully reciprocated love

frankly I do wanna make more content of them i am just a tired blob with a full time job and have trouble remembering to have fun with art and not get frustrated with the sketch not coming together or get my brain together enough to write wheezes

tho speaking of since you pointed out the art I do have a smattering of fics as well! (a total of 7; largely drabbles and a novella sized multichapter one) ... also planning on making more but also brain is not pulling together enough to get anything written because the Big One:tm: WIP is at a complete standstill and I refuse to let it die.

but yeah welcome to the club shakes ur hand somehow we're the rarepair despite how OBVIOUSLY they were made for each other and bring out the best and worst of each other and- (I am dragged away before this gets any longer)

[autistichalsin]

I'm sorry, like, I can legit understand where quite a few criticisms of Halsin come from even if I don't agree, but when people get upset that he's a bad leader, I just-

You guys. That's literally the point. The entire point is that he is unable to balance his own moral compass with the strict requirements of Druidic leadership, leaving him with the worst of both worlds, because he can't find a way to act that satisfies everyone. (A lot of) non-Druids see him as too obsessed with nature at the cost of people, and (a lot of) his Druids think he's weak and ineffective. The Grove does as good, if not better, without him around because his successor is able to adhere to Druidic code, preventing discordance. Halsin comments on this several times.

He struggles the entire time with being a devoted worshipper of Silvanus, (who is the god of wild nature in particular and doesn't even care that much about "balance" between nature and humanity, though Halsin clearly does a great deal), and his deep love of humanity- caring so much about others, about suffering, even about suffering that is entirely the result of the problems with civilization.

The entire reason he gets the much-maligned arc about hating the city isn't because "lol hippies", it's because it is the ultimate stress test for his priorities- and what ultimately illuminates his solution. Let the people in need be at the forefront while also getting a chance to serve nature as he loves so much. Him creating his commune isn't just running away from a romanced player- it's him balancing his need to serve the greater good with his struggles with leadership with his love of nature with his love of humanity. And this provides the best solution.

And he agrees with the assessment that he wasn't meant to be a leader, at least not in the Druidic order; if a romanced player tells him his new dream suits him, he softly says, "better than Archdruid ever did. The old teachings could never have foreseen this world."

Halsin isn't bad at all kinds of leadership, if you look closely at OTHER situations where he takes the lead outside of being Archdruid. It's just that weighing his beliefs vs those of the Druids left him unable to act effectively. If he's no longer constrained by those rival beliefs, he shows himself to be extremely effective, and his kindness and compassion guide him to helping those the most in need.

There is, after all, a reason that the first thing we learn about Halsin is that he took a group of Tiefling refugees into his Grove- a highly unusual act for the leader of a Druidic circle. It was all foreshadowing, all along, that his soft heart was going to be in DEEP conflict with the harder nature of the Druids.

That is literally his entire arc. Snarking that Halsin isn't great as an Archdruid is like snarking that Shadowheart seems unable to fully commit to worshipping Shar.

[argyrocratie]

Hein:

Also, let’s talk about your self-styled anarchism. How did you become an anarchist? Let’s say, for me, an incident was pivotal. For example, I fell in love with my childhood best friend, who is a devot Buddhist girl, whereas I’m just an average teenager who doesn’t take religions seriously. The majority of Buddhist society thought of my Muslim bloodline as something they could use to discriminate against me. At the same time, the so-called minority Muslim family members of mine are forcing me to convert my lover of that time by any means if I want to marry her. They said marrying an idolatry worshipper (Buddhist) is not legal under Islamic Sharia law, and it is sinful for me to do so. That’s when I started to question everything around me: the whole mainstream politics of victimhood and oppressors and the whole narratives of religions as lovingly and peaceful. Is there a similar kind of incident for you? Not necessarily a love affair like mine, but some sort of tragic moment in life where you became too angry at society.

Thiha:

I will have to explain my life to explain that. You will have to understand my socio-economic background. I came from a lower middle-class family in terms of social class. I’m the only son in the family, and my father is the sole source of income in the family, with my mom being a housewife. And the income was not too stable for him. So, this socio-economic burden came to me as well. After that GTI student movement, some friends of mine managed to get a bachelor's degree and entered the workforce. However, I didn’t have that chance. With the qualifications offered by GTI, I tried to seek job opportunities. Since we had to express religion and ethnicity in our CVs and resumes, along with the reference letter from the local police department, most employers used my religion as something they could use to discriminate against me with prejudice. Even the police from the police station asked me if I still could not secure a job, even though I had requested several reference letters from them. Those discriminations I suffered at my lowest time when my family needed me to support them play a role too. Also, at that time, Yangon University of Distance Education had opened, and law degrees were offered. I am enrolled in a law degree. I managed to graduate around 2005. The more I learned about laws, the more confident I’m to conclude that laws are being written to serve the interests of the ruling class. Laws are attempts to confuse the average population with the words and sentences to be cherrypicked by a “class of people” who are educated enough to use them. So, technically, laws are more or less similar to religion. Just as the clerical class has this kind of cherry-picking power over the average religious person, the laws also have similar features. So, even though I graduated with a law degree and was doing my internship chamber at the local state courts, I chose not to become a licensed lawyer.

-Hein Htet Kyaw, "Interview with Thiha, a lifelong anarchist thinker from Burma"

[galedekarios]

Hello, you may have already talked about it but I love drows and Altonaufein is such an interesting character. Fun fact, I got the game a little bit later than everybody and for, like, a day or two, I thought he was an actual NPC or maybe a companion lol. Anyway, I'd love to read your thoughts about him! (or maybe I just feel some kind of kindship since my OC is also a drow with a lot of issues and an ongoing crush on Gale.

thank you so much for your lovely message and your kind words about altonaufein! i was really blown away when i saw your message. (((': i'm also super happy to find another drow player. i'd be super interested to hear more about your oc as well, if you feel comfortable sharing!

i'm very it took so long to answer, i just always draw a blank when i'm asked about my ocs, even though i love them and lot and probably have an entire library of lore inside of head about them.

i did manage to write up a bit about altonaufein, though! i've had his character for a very long time. he was originally intended for icewind dale 2, but then baldur's gate 3 was announced and i decided to try and translate his character into the game and was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked!

born in ust-natha, altonaufein is the third child--but the first son--of a small but prestigious house of a long line of clerics and devoted worshippers of lolth.

at a young age, altonaufein had a very cautious and gentle nature to him, showing signs of great magical and spellcasting talent. these talents were decided to be nurtured in the service of lolth--even if altonaufein was only a male, it stood to reason that he might still become a passable asset and tool for his house, if little else.

his life took a turn for the worse when he began to see a bright silver moon in his trances, heard the sweet melody of a lyre, saw a dark dancer in a sky he'd never seen. foolishly, naively, altonaufein told another of his house--his sister iraeae, who he had once been close to--about his strange dreams, his visions. his trust was misplaced and he was severely punished in hopes of correcting him, driving those visions from his mind, to not bring shame to his house any further. after this, altonaufein began to ignore his dreams and, consequently, unknowingly, eilistraee’s call.

he was initiated to become part of the clergy to lolth by the trial of strength: if he failed, he would become a sacrifice. if he succeeded, it would bring lolth's favour to his family--either way, he would not be a waste to his house.

altonaufein survived the trial, barely. though, with what was to come, he sometimes wishes he hadn't.

iraeae, at the same time as him, undertook her own trial of lolth:

chwidevbrii, or the test of betrayal. it's a punishment that strikes particularly deep. trust is a distasteful concept to drow, though they understand that sometimes it does happen and is even necessary to survive. to rid themselves of this, to succeed this test, the drow must betray someone who has garnered her trust or in whom she has placed her trust. mentors, teachers, leaders, friends, family. as long as there has been a solid connection of dependence made in the past.

the drow must utterly destroy her victim in a way that allows her to advance in some manner. the method is not important: blackmail, slander, torture... magic. in the end, the victim must die or be thoroughly disgraced and dominated. usually, the victim is murdered by the drow herself, commits suicide, or is killed as a result of the drow's action. so what better way to show to her goddess that she is a true drow, that she is worthy, what better way than to serve the house, than humiliating and dominating someone who was once a little brother.

drow females are able to dominate the mind of any chosen male with but a spell and one such spell was cast on altonaufein, and iraeae triumphed in her trial. a victim of inter-house politics as so many others before him, he was left as little but a thrall, serving in a many different ways.

he was there, under that spell, until it broke: iraeae dead by her older sister nadriina's hand--betrayed just like altonaufein had been by her. altonaufein doesn't remember how long it lasted, remembers only parts of it. the many hands. the pain. he remembers fighting. other drow. other prisoners. the surface. running. the moon. fever.

altonaufein escaped to the surface in a haze, he wandering aimlessly before all the strength went out of him and he collapsed. yet eilistraee must have guided, must have protected him, once more, as she tried to, so long ago: he had collapsed near a small settlement around a small church of ilmater, the god of compassion and healing, of mercy and atonement. they took altonaufein in because they deny no one in need of their help, not even a drow.

he was taken in and nursed back to health over the course of many months by a follower, living at the temple: an ex-soldier, a deserter, by the name of karl. they formed a deep bond, despite their differences--or perhaps because of them-- and despite altonaufein's initial distrust.

once recovered, altonaufein hacked off his long hair, so many issues, so many bad memories, tied to it.

still, he came to see what happened as a chance he doesn't think he deserves: to start anew, to help, to learn how he could be more than simply a honed weapon made for killing. he offered his services to the small settlement and the temple, even if ilmater is not the god he prays to.

he helped everywhere he could in any way he could, ignoring the whispers that followed him, his own intrusive thoughts, his episodes, triggered by too sudden movements, unexpected brushes his body or mind.

altonaufein helped to tend to the crops, helped with the harvest, repaired walls and fences, treated wounds and healed. he would earn their trust, prove himself.

the one person who stood by his side through it was karl.

karl, who, after his abduction on the nautiloid remains his guardian as he been so many moons before, swearing to protect him once more:

🖤

it's bit by bit that he learns to accept himself for who he is, what he is. his heritage, his past, his future, his new faith.

he gets to heal on this journey and find peace.

i'm sorry this got so long and ramble-y, but he's my special boy. (((': thanks again so much for asking about him!!!

[llycaons]

the love story in tgcf may not have explicitly said 'stalking is romantic' but its love interest literally became obsessed with the mc as a CHILD, decided to live for him, died for him several times, and then spent 800 years looking for him without having anything else going on in his personal life besides 'being really good at stuff' and 'running a city' and that all-encompassing devotion is reciprocated so it IS framed as romantic so there's not really a leg to stand on here. it's actually extremely funny to say that tgcf isn't about an obsessive fan because it really really is it is LITERALLY a diety/worshipper romance. in pivoting away from one harmful trope, the author did something nearly as bad

it's the same thing as when ppl talk about how mdzs is 'anti-rape' because 'oh wwx felt REALLY bad and it almost ruined their relationship' when it literally sexualizes rape (in the incense burner extras), minimizes sexual assault (having wwx be happy he was forcibly kissed) and reduces a horrific violation to a 'miscommunication'. more minor but it annoys me when ppl hype it up like 'ohhh it's about communication you have to communicate!' yeah lwj never told wwx about the PM kiss he had to figure out that shit on his own

and btw it's also why sv/ss fell flat. the mockery of porny stallion novels was actually extremely accurate and funny, but she recreated many of the same issues in the book that was supposed to be a critique of that genre. so it's like, great! you know why this didn't work, but now you're going to write something almost as bad, just in a more complicated way? what are we getting from this?

[antihibikase2]

Commissioned by @psqe; please heed the warnings.

The False Prophet was not a god.

If he were, he would have spared him a glance of mercy, and his violence was to be a catalyst for goodwill, for divinity.

Rather, The False Prophet was a devil who touted godhood as his birthright- but he was so painfully human, to align himself with the family of priests and claim themselves rightful heirs to the throne.

And like the devil, he had his schemes- and the karma of his evil persists throughout the centuries, until his ideals became his truth.

No one could deny a king to their kingdom- just as an heirloom cannot deny its owner.

An obedient doll with porcelain skin, worn and cracked from years of abuse- the heirloom to the Harmonias.

It was easy to detest Ghetsis- he did not need to personally meet the man to know so.

Yet, he could not stop himself from coming back to the doors of the castle- and subsequently assisting the false king in his pursuit to conquer the region, just as his descendants should have done all those years ago.

It was easy to list out all of Ghetsis' sins- he did not need to dig deep beyond the surface to figure that out.

Yet, he could not stop himself from carrying out his tasks dutifully, without a single complaint, even as his dignity as a human was stripped in favor of acknowledging his existence and purpose as a vessel.

It was easy to entertain thoughts of abandoning Ghetsis as soon as he could- how could he not, with how much hatred he had for that man and his past selves?

Yet.

With the fool by his feet, one eye in dire need of medical assistance,

He could not resist.

The man who touted himself as his lord was painfully human, bleeding by his feet, cursing at the Hero of Truth for his monstrosity.

He does not even offer him the privacy of the medical quarters.

Like a worshipper, he falls to his knees, straddling the other's lap as he digs through his supplies.

"Nikolai-"

A scalpel, and anesthesia. It was all he needed.

Those eyes that looked down on him, the same eyes that dared to replicate Arceus' gaze.

His expression does not change, unmoving like a doll.

Yet, his skillful hands get to work, as he swiftly makes the proper incisions, digs his fingers through the flesh-

His gaze was curious, like a cat's.

But to Ghetsis, it was the face of an angel- one of god's most devoted, carrying out his work without so much as a noise.

He holds the eye of the false god between his fingers, staining his skin with a deep, dark red.

"What are you doing?! Get back to work you-"

"Lord Ghetsis,"

Nikolai peers down.

"It appears you are.. severely unaware of the situation you are in now,"

One eye on the prize, the other on his tool, gleaming under fluroscent lights.

"I suggest you allow your doctor to continue his work in peace- unless you have other plans."

Perhaps his icy tone struck fear into the heart of the dragon- or perhaps his anesthesia simply took claim of the other's consciousness, complying him to the doctor's demands.

As Nikolai continues patching up the rest of the injury, silently musing to himself about the irreparable damages done to his mortal form,

There was a slight smile.

[seaofwine]

How did you first reach out/connect with Athena for your practice? I really want to work with and learn from her, but I’m so incredibly afraid of doing something wrong

For me, I kind of feel like Athena has always been around in some way or another (but that’s for a different post), but I want you to know that it’s okay to start whenever, she will meet you where you are. I’ll share my experience in this and I really hope it helps.

During the pandemic, I mean the *early* months of them, I was really lost in my life in general. I was completely directionless. I'd switched university tracks to attend literally two months of art school before campus closed. I was in mostly studio and design classes so this basically meant everything I'd started wouldn't ever be finished.

I can't describe to you the feeling of hopelessness. I'd stepped out of a promising internship and a chance at law school to follow my dreams. This was probably the riskiest decision I've ever made and it definitely felt like it was not paying off at all. I'd hoped to see some sign that the change would be worth it and this as an answer was a blow I didn't know how to recover from.

I didn't know what to do. It was in this chaos that I connected with her for the first time as a conscious worshipper. I'd woven things for her before, had a collection of prized owls on a shelf for her, but this was when I really reached out for help. I guess you could say I was building kharis with her for a bit beforehand, but that was by no means something you have to spend a ton of time doing before reaching out. You build it along the way.

We don't really have widespread access to temples and sanctuaries anymore, and shrines are usually things we've made ourselves. Something I've been doing in my practice is going to places that fall under their domain. So for Apollon, the art studio was a place I would meditate and pray, offering my work at the end of a session or my paint water. For Athena, it was the university library (any place you feel close to her works though, this could be your room or a museum, this was just what worked for me at the time). I just went as I was in that moment. Lost, confused, needing aid. I sat there for a while and told her everything. I wasn't perfect, I haven't been perfect, but that's kind of the point. I worked at it over time, reading her myths, making offerings, a prayer journal, just telling her about my day. I thank her for all the ways she's shown up for me, all the ways I can see her in my everyday life, and that's been the way to go for me. I keep a notebook in my bag where I write notes to her when things get tough, wear devotional jewelry, and dedicate my achievements to her.

She has these really lovely epithets, Ergane, the instructor of man, or Aleia, the provider of refuge, Amboulia, of good counsel, Soteira, the savior. She's familiar with every struggle and insecurity you could have. These gods are older than we can possibly comprehend. Yes - there are guidelines for how you should behave, but the things that can make the gods genuinely upset are few and severe. Hubris for one, and defiling a temple, or killing a relative, like those are things that the average person will never really encounter. Make the mistakes, as long as you are respectful and approach the gods with good intentions, you’re okay. There are a million right ways to worship, and only very few that are historically attested as Wrong.

[greypetrel]

Sera! (notte?) ✨ "religious or non-religious" per la triade di Till Queendom Come 👀

Ma buonasera! 💜✨

Going into English and totally putting them in order so their colour codes form the bisexual flag...

Tis the prompt list

Winnie: Yes. Druids are priests, she's a priest of the celtic Gooddess. In great-grandpa's books there are noted rites and how to celebrate festivities, Grandpa Quick educated his family to the worship and they all still practice -they celebrate Samhain as New Year, no Christmas but Yule, Beltane too. It's done very quietly and behind closed doors of course, but they do not follow Christian traditions. She does believe, the necklace she often wears has a triskele on it and has devotional value, it's worn as a Christian cross would be. She's open to the existance of other gods, if so many people believe in the Abrahamitic God, he must be true as well, Darcy met Odin so he surely is... She just worships her own

Shahra: It's... Complicated. She remembers she's religious. She doesn't remember what god(s) she worshipped, name, face, number... Nothing. She knows there's some higher power, deep in her bones. She won't be able to tell you a name or anything more specific than that. It's the reason she never converted to Islam in 9 centuries of living in Islamic countries. She'll say it's a nice religion and she deeply respects it, finds the Qur'an incredibly poetic and will be able to quote it and interpret it. She doesn't consider herself muslim because it never sat completely right with her, for her personal beliefs. So, she recognise it as very valid, adopted some things (she doesn't drink, for once, and the sense of community) but she doesn't practice because she feels it would just be insincere and offensive.

... It never did because she's a worshipper of Shakti and Shiva, and had a very close connection to that religion that wasn't totally severed when the thing happened. She'll get back to it with her memory back, so yes, she is religious and an active part of one. She just doesn't remember it.

Darcy: He spent years in the All-Green-Isle with Odin himself. He's a Jotunn, he walked with the gods and knows personally they exist. He never got back in contact with them after he came to England, but he knows they're there somewhere. He doesn't need their favours, but he still practice some, when he feels like it. Yes, but mildly.

[jdgo51]

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR DECEMBER 26, 2022

Preparing the Altar

By Stanley Hartness (Mississippi, USA)

READ MATTHEW 25:14-30

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

1 PETER 4:10 (NIV)

"For several years it has been my responsibility and joy to prepare my church’s altar for the Sunday morning worship service. Rather than use traditional floral arrangements, I draw inspiration from the lectionary and sermon topic for the coming Sunday. Through prayer and the Holy Spirit, I transform the altar into a visual expression of scripture and the pastor’s message. On several occasions I’ve been frustrated when I had to start over because my original plan did not work out. But the final offering has always been meaningful and appreciated by our congregation.

Preparing the altar each Sunday has blessed me in many ways: scriptures have taken on new meaning, sermons have come alive, and I’ve developed a keener appreciation for common objects that can be transformed into meaningful symbols. My hope is always that the altar will add yet another layer of meaning to the worship experience. For a long time I didn’t know how to respond when people commented on the altar presentation, but I now tell them it’s the ministry that God has granted me. I’ve been the beneficiary of true blessings while serving in this capacity." Some very simple additions to the altar and worship area can enhance the worship experience It's amazing what can influence the take-away from the time with God and fellow worshippers.

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Generous God, help us to discover and use the special gifts you have given us. Amen. "

Matthew 25:14-30

New International Version

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

"'14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ What we do with the things God blesses with us can make all the difference. Invest and nurture those gifts. Pour effort into all of it so that much is gained for the Lord and for you. We have so many things to bless us, but we must work with it wisely to make a true difference. Be blessed! Joe

[hiraya-rawr]

I absolutely loved the recent work about Zhongli (?) and Xiao and how they would clash in an imposter au or something of the like. Do you have any more thoughts about what could happen with them and the aftermath of it? No pressure!!

SAGAU: The Aftermath (Xiao, Zhongli)

note: hi anon!! no worries, I really enjoy exploring SAGAU so this was a delight to brainrot on!! it sort of ended up being a fic instead. and sorry for replying late, I was having trouble with being shadow banned ☺️ I hope it's alright now and this reaches you!

cw: mentions of violence, blood, religious themes, can be platonic/romantic

based off of this reply: Xiao & Zhongli SAGAU

~ the aftermath ~

The minute Xiao takes you and disappears, Zhongli finally notices the pool of golden blood staining the grass.

Shame and regret quickly gives way to anger. Anger at himself for not trusting you or Xiao, anger at his own carelessness and assumptions, and most of all, anger towards the false creator cruelly manipulating them all along.

Zhongli's emotions resonate with Liyue as the ground shakes in fervor. He makes his way to the temple, to the halls, past the pavilion, till he's in the throne room where several of the other acolytes stood in waiting.

The false god raises an eyebrow curiously as the most "devoted" of worshippers makes his way towards them, polearm in hand.

Zhongli doesn't give the "god" a moment to react when he grabs them by the back of the throat and manhandling them to the floor, face first.

"Morax, how dare you!-" The god begins to say before the grip on their throat tightens to silence them.

"Zhongli, such sacrilege! Unhand the creator at once!" One of the archons rush towards the two but a pillar quickly rises from the ground, causing them to stagger back. There's hesitation amongst the acolytes, for who would want to go against the geo archon, Morax?

With one knee on the false god's back, Zhongli angles his polearm and nicks the skin of their shoulders.

The result was as expected. Blood without a single glimmer of the stars or a glow of ichor — simply ordinary red blood.

He raises his vortex vanquisher, the blood for all to see, before glaring down at the once confident "creator", now shaking in fear.

"You dare to fool Teyvat — enact cruelties and wield power under the name and privilege of our holy divine god."

Without a second thought, he drags them by the hair out of the temple, they pathetically squirm, trying to get away as the rest of the acolytes follow in shock or resonated anger.

Outside the temple for all the crowds to see, he raises the true imposter and spears them without a second thought. There's red blood dribbling down the staircase. He drops them and the fake jumbles down the stairs, landing with a thud at the very bottom. Someone screams, another gasps, mixed emotions circles the air but Zhongli can only think of one thing:

The false god was a fool, but the biggest fool of them all were the ones who fell for such lies

~ meanwhile ~

Unknowing of the chaos happening in the capital, at a far away part of Liyue, in an abandoned shrine, Xiao is patching up your injuries with skills perfected from centuries of his own battle wounds. Every drop of golden blood reverberates him with shame — how could he fail to protect you?

As if sensing his inner struggle, you place a hand on his cheek, "I'm alright, Xiao, it'll heal in no time." His expression softens at that but somehow, he doesn't feel any better

He was feeling conflicted between his loyalty towards Morax and his adoration towards you. It wasn't just about you getting hurt, but the fact that his own master did it even when Xiao himself was trying to protect you

In all honesty, Xiao felt betrayed. Did Zhongli not trust him enough? Were his hundreds of years of loyalty and devotion towards the geo archon not enough for a moments worth of patience to hear him out?

Or perhaps Xiao was overstepping his place. Did he really assume that he — a weapon of war — could be anything like a mentee? a friend? a son? It was his mistake to assume that he could mean anything more than a contract to the archon of contracts himself.

His thoughts were cut off by a shuffle of grass, quiet footsteps entering the area.

Xiao quickly stands and materializes his polearm, putting you behind him. You reach for his hand and he grips it tightly.

A flash of brown hair appears from the bushes and Xiao tenses at the sight. He doesn't wish to clash blades again.

"Xiao.." There's a lack of hostility in the former archon's voice. Actually, his entire form is loose and just plain wrong, arms without a weapon. How did he even find you?

He looked exhausted after what seemed to have been only a few hours since you last met.

Zhongli doesn't dare take a step forward. You take this chance to peek at him from behind Xiao, your eyes on Zhongli's averting ones.

He dares not face you after what he's done

"I have committed an unforgivable sin," He starts, eyes on the ground and slowly kneeling down, "because of my foolishness and obsession, I..."

You could've sworn had it not been for his sincerity to apologize properly, he would be choking in tears

"I harmed the true and divine god." His forehead touches the ground in a bow, you bit your lip hesitantly and glanced towards Xiao. The adeptus seemed equally as lost, unable to say anything. You slowly stand next to Xiao, hands still holding onto his.

"Zhongli, I.." It's okay now, you think, but you choke back on your words because you know it's not okay. It was traumatizing and painful to be chased by your most beloved characters. It took a while for you to speak again, Xiao squeezes your hand in an unknowing attempt at comfort.

"I just want to rest now," You tell him and it takes a while before he realizes it's his cue to sit up. He takes you back to Liyue, explaining the situation:

The false god was removed (he didn't specify how)

The Qixing has prepared a place for you to recuperate (it's a private and peaceful area, no one is allowed to enter unless you allow it)

News is spreading fast and that no one would hurt you anymore (he flinches saying this and you wonder if he's having flashbacks of guilt)

"Only Xiao would be allowed to enter this adobe," Zhongli says as he stops before a temple entrance, "If you wish for assistance, handmaidens will be sent immediately. If you have any problems with the adobe, the Qixing will answer to it. Please take all the time in the world." to forgive us for our sins.

Zhongli stops you one last time before you turn to leave, his hand outstretched but not quite intending to touch you. "And... we await whatever punishment there may be for our unforgivable actions."

You stare at him with a conflicted expression. He stares at the ground. Not once has he faced you since his crime and you're not quite sure how to feel about that.

"Okay.." was your quiet response before entering the adobe with Xiao.

~ the aftermath ~

You didn't leave your adobe for weeks. The trauma of being hunted down slowly dawning on you as you wake nightmare after nightmare in the dead of nights.

Xiao would be by your side, comforting you and assisting you. His presence helped you cope better but there was a small problem.

The adobe was beautiful, vast and large. For you, it was a safe haven from the disasters of the outside world.

But Xiao was slowly acknowledging how this wasn't quite good for your mental health. The place was beautiful, yes, but he was noticing how lonely it made you. The peacefulness almost stifling. Besides, he's not sure how much longer you can push back facing reality.

Xiao would leave you sometimes to go outside. He's seen the anguish of the people of Teyvat, wondering how to get you to forgive them. A few of the archons who weren't quite as familiar with you were growing anxious. What punishment does their true creator have for them? How severe must they be punished? Regardless, they're ready to accept whatever you have prepared.

Teyvat was safe for you now, Xiao deduces. In fact, you'd be the most protected person as well.

It was only a matter of time before he finally encouraged you to leave your recluse. Your exit was done quietly without anyone knowing, you walked behind his back, a hand tightly in his own.

navigation

note 2: I want to mention that im not good at writing angry MC, which is why my reader often leans to the softer side (unless specified). if you dislike this, my work may not be for you :> but feel free to explore anyway!

[death-witch-envy]

Here are some tips to confirm that you are speaking to a deity, not a malicious spirits:

Depending on your situation, you can try one or more of these techniques to fact-check the concerning message.

Ask the same question several times. When you use a divination tool, write down all answers to your questions. Wait at least a day. Then, using the same divination technique, rephrase the question and ask again. Like humans, malicious spirits usually do not remain consistent with their lies.

Is it another entity’s thought, or yours? As I mentioned before, some people mistake strong emotions for divine signs. Self-deprecation, anger, guilt, anxiety--if you think these things about yourself, it does not guarantee that a deity feels the same way. During spirit and deity work, I often ask myself, “Is this message what I anticipated would happen, or is it something never thought of?” Even our closest friends and family can surprise us with unexpected answers.

Familiarize yourself with the deity before trying a new divination method. This might not be possible for new Pagans, but in an ideal world, you should become comfortable with a deity before attempting something new. Learn how They respond to offerings, divination, prayers, written letters, devotional acts, etc. This way, you’ll be more likely to catch when something is off in the future.

Before contacting your deity, stabilize your emotional state. Even the most experienced practitioners can be tricked if they are stressed, angry, self-deprecating, anxious, or sad. It is also possible to misinterpret a deity’s sign if you feel bad. While deities can soothe turbulent emotions, make sure that you’re taking care of yourself, too.

Ask the deity for confirmation. Some people worry that asking a deity about their worries might offend Them. If you feel that a divine message has been compromised, confirm it. The deity might reassure you and, better yet, protect you from future mishaps.

Seek an outside opinion. If you are new to deity work or a certain divination method, ask someone who is more experienced in that field. You can even ask a different form of divination (such as tarot cards or runes) for answers.

Trust your gut. Although this might sound cliche, intuition matters in deity work. Did the message shock you? Scare you? Infuriate you? Does it seem too convenient? If so, ask your deity next time you pray. You may have good reason to doubt.

If you’re constantly worried, put up wards. If you suspect that a spirit is messing with your deity work, cast protection spells. It will give you peace of mind, at least.

Give deities the benefit of the doubt. Deities are here to help people. They want loyal worshippers, not enemies. They can heal, inspire, encourage, and enlighten if you let them. I have personally found that, when people think lowly of themselves, they assume that deities think the same way. They do not. Trust me.

For more tips on avoiding and identifying malicious spirits, read the full blog post here.

[blzzrdstryr]

Sacriliege

Yandere!Dainsleif x gn!reader

CW: Drugging, yandere themes

Dainsleif is not a religious person. To be frank he never was, having been born and raised in Khaenri’ah, a godless nation that rivaled and outpaced deities just with the power of science, nor, he thinks, he will ever be, having to witness the fall of said country, images of people slowly losing their humanity and tall, magnificent buildings crumbling under the divine wrath still fresh in his mind. There's a barely hidden rage for celestials, rising and burning like a molten lava, an awful taste of bile appearing on his tongue every time some poor sod decides to praise the seven.

Even before the fall of Khaenri'ah, he never acknowledged gods the same way other teyvatians did. To the Twilight Sword they were nothing more than the skilfully carved statues placed on the continent - beautiful, yet ultimately useless. He remembers how he used to stifle laughter when he saw devoted worshippers spending days and nights near them, an inner skeptic in him mocking them for their unfounded beliefs.

Your first meeting happened incidentally. He was trailing the abyss order in the Wolfendom and had a chance of accidentally stumbling upon you collecting the herbs and wolf hooks. He didn’t pay you much attention back then, too focused on looking for any lead that could point him to the order, yet your image appeared before his eyes later that night as he had to stop for rest. Dainsleif was irritated both with himself and you, after losing his nation and people he had no goal, but the exhausting fight against the Celestia and abyss order at the same time.

Yet the pictures never stopped coming, his mind conjuring your face over and over when he was resting, making him visit the same spot in the hopes of seeing you again. After some time you did appear again, the basket for the herbs in your hands.

He hid in the shadow as he watched you work: You have this serenity about you, the one that sets Dainsleif’s mind calm. You are peaceful, untroubled, still as the surface of the lake on a windless day. He thinks that it doesn’t matter if some gods decided to destroy a nation and curse it’s people five centuries ago, you look so tranquil as you pluck the plants - it looks like nothing will change in your life unless you will it to.

His heart starts to pound for some reason as he continues to silently observe you. There’s a familiarity in the way your hair moves under the gentle wind, or the way that sun falls on your skin, illuminating the entire figure in soft light, or the quiet song you hum, as you make your way with herbs.

It’s a safety he realizes, safety and solitude he grew unaccustomed with when the sky dyed red and the smell of smoke and blood filled the air, as the gods descended from Celestia. There is a gaping pit inside of him, hungry yet insatiable, desiring more and more - vengeance, blood, destruction, an emptiness that is tempted by the abyss order’s methods and this pit grows silent and small as he glances at you, his heart filling with the same tranquility you possess.

Dainsleif is not a religious person, but now, looking at you, he feels like a filthy sinner before the altar begging for salvation. You look godlike and ethereal, and Bough Keeper wants nothing more than to pray and kneel and worship.

***

It wasn’t hard to follow your tracks back to Mondstadt, keeping a considerable distance, lest you saw his pursuit. The knights at the gates gave him a suspicious look, yet ultimately did nothing to stop him from entering, so he continued trailing you, both star-like eyes focused on your figure before him.

You stopped several times to talk with other citizens and Dainsleif found himself frowning, jealousy is new to him after five hundred years of grief, it’s sting is sharper and more acidic. He gritted his teeth, blue eyes looking at the scene through the golden locks, and barely stopped himself from lunging.

It wasn’t hard to find your house, nor was it difficult to get in, with the power of Khemia and the abyss rolling in his hands. He sneaked in at night, eyes looking at the interior and finding your sleeping form.

He continued to slip inside your abode on the days he was free from pursuit. There were thousands upon thousands of excuses he prepared, mainly for himself - there are abyss mages and heralds traversing this land, there are his bestial, cursed compatriots building camps with the city's proximity, there are other people, full of malicious intent and cruelty and your archon left his people centuries ago.

It also wasn't hard to make a sleeping draught - colorless and tasteless solution that upon intake would trap you inside a dream. With a right dosage, such sleep would last a night only, leaving nothing but a pleasant restfulness as an after effect. You never realized why you became such a heavy sleeper, but Dainsleif now had the chance to look and observe your tranquility without a worry of you waking up to him.

He was content with it for a time - chasing the order, undermining gods to calm his thirst for vengeance and returning to the sleeping deity at night to calm his heart, yet there was a change - he touched you.

It hits him like a lightning and steals his breath, as his heart starts to pound again. He feels like he committed something unforgivable - yet the feeling is too good to miss out. A sensation of your skin slips from him like sand or water, leaving him yearning for more.

There’s an uncharacteristic nervousness to his movements, a shakiness that wasn’t there for decades if not centuries as his calloused hands caress your skin over and over. A small noise of surprise escapes him, as he marvels at how pleasant it is to touch you. He shifts a little, his kneeling figure suddenly looming over you and it hits him again. The realization this time, how right you feel with him looking down on your unconscious, vulnerable form. A fire ignites inside Dainsleif.

It feels wrong to think about you this way, like sullying one god’s altar, it’s a sacrilege, something that would prompt a lesser person to kneel and beg and hope for forgiveness, yet he doesn’t stop.

Dainsleif is not a religious person.

[thegrapeandthefig]

Why personal devotion matters

(Listen to the audio version)

This week's post is a commentary of K. A Rask's article titled "Devotionalism, Material Culture, and the Personal in Greek Religion" published in Kernos, 29 in 2016 (you can read the whole thing here). 

This 15-page article explores the notion of personal devotion in Ancient Greece and highlights the issues of academia on the matter. Yet, this article unintentionally puts a finger exactly on what modern practitionners of the religion argue about. I won't be summarizing the whole thing, instead I will be using here only what I consider to be key notions. Thus, I encourage you to read the complete article yourself for the information I won't be covering.

1. Plato would disaprove of the way modern pagans worship

Because he already disaproved of the way his contemporaries did. The main issue here is the notion of reciprocity. When we look at the way the Ancients worshipped, we find an important presence of reciprocity (offerings to make a prayer happen and/or votives in thanks of said prayer). Plato knew that his contemporaries worshipped this way and absolutely despised it. To cite the article:

"For Plato, human overemphasis on reciprocity went beyond into the realm of asebeia (‘impiety’).  Furthermore, a major concern for Plato was the unmonitored and unsanctioned religious activity of individuals; he firmly supported institutional jurisdiction. Ostensibly this was because it was not possible to scrutinize para-institutional activity for religious incorrectness and it was thus a potential danger to the surrounding population at large. Undeniably, fear of divine repercussions resulting from the impiety of others is a recurrent theme in Classical discourse. Plato proposed laws to curtail individual religious autonomy, since he deeply distrusted, and was in fact rather exasperated with, personal religious activities of the type he describes thus: yet it is customary for all women especially, and for sick folk everywhere, and those in peril or in distress (whatever the nature of the distress), and conversely for those who have had a slice of good fortune, to dedicate whatever happens to be at hand at the moment, and to vow sacrifices and promise the founding of shrines to gods and demi-gods and children of gods; and through terrors caused by waking visions or by dreams, and in like manner as they recall many visions and try to provide remedies for each of them, they are wont to found altars and shrines, and to fill with them every house and every village, and open places, too, and every spot which was the scene of such experiences. (Laws 10.909e–910a)"

Sounds familiar? Have you ever turned to the gods in time of need? If you answered yes to this question, Plato disaproves. Needless to say, the practices Plato describes as impious here never stopped being practiced and if anything, became stronger over time. To the point where, today, personal worship is very much our only option.

2. Kharis is crucial to personal worship

That is, the relationship between the devotee and a deity. Kharis means "delight, pleasing thing" in the sense of a favor (see how it links back with the notion of reciprocity):

"The sense of reciprocity so evident in literature and epigraphical sources, however, often went beyond the ‘transactional’ towards exceptionally intimate and sentimental attachments."

The author uses Sappho and Aphrodite as an example here, but one could argue that the relationship between Aelius Aristide and Asclepius is of a similar nature. That being said, this is something most, if not all, modern practitionners experience. Geniune affection between a deity and a devotee is something we have traces of in the sources:

"Equally close were those gods who came in dreams, described hovering at the shoulders of the dreamers with gentle smiles; in inscriptions, they were parastatai, gods who ‘stood beside’ their worshippers. Not only were such interactions marked by genuine affection, but there could be a physical aspect as well, with the divine figure touching the human figure with a hand. Anja Klöckner comments, “the closeness of the human-divine encounter finds its clearest expression when a god touches humans."

This way of approaching the relationship between deity and worshipper makes it that we find in the people's worship things that a philosophical approach to the gods doesn't accept. Mainly, showing your discontentment with a god when a prayer hasn't been answered to by ignoring the deity. On a larger scale, this also happened in response to tragic events where worshippers thought they were being punished or smiten by the gods.

What Plato addresses when trying to regulate personal worship comes from the fact that the presence of priesthood is not necessary for worship:

"Abundant evidence reveals, however, that on many occasions individuals were capable of accessing sacred powers on their own, without institutional interference or mediating figures. Instead, people might set their own terms of engagement with invisible powers."

The authors gives several examples but it comes down to the idea that personal worship was free by nature. They did not necessitate a priest or an institution to sacrifice to a god or a hero, they had their own religious routine which could vary from a person to another and the participation to certain rites could be a matter of personal choice.

This makes the religious structure outside of the city-regulated rite very diverse, as we can see here:

"Yet men and women kept holy figures close and present in a variety of ways, beyond the clearly defined confines of sacred space. Images of the gods travelled with humans in the form of rings, seals, and other amulets, while the gods could be called upon whenever humans needed assurance, regardless of where they might be. Prayer seems to have occurred in all manner of locales, since “it was perfectly possible to pray on one’s own wherever one happened to be.”"

I'll summarize this point with this: the emotional engagement and intimacy between worshipper and deity is not a "modern pagan concept", contrarily to what some who have only read philosophy will tell you. The way the ancients experienced divinity through personal worship is actually not too far off from what modern worshippers experience today.

3. Devotional activities have always existed.

This post is getting long, so I will keep my commentary to the minimum:  

"Many of the examples just presented showcase religious experiences that occur outside of the public stage or in moments that are not highly ritualized in the manner often associated with festivals, processions, and explicitly monitored situations. While women, men, and children negotiated and developed relationships with divinities in a way that was directly relevant to their own personal affairs, they also publicly declared their devotion and great affection for sacred figures. Beyond traditional votives, one could honor the gods through other media and expressions, such as labor or storytelling, whether verbally or visually. [...] I argue that one could show one’s devotion not just with material offerings but with the work (and results) of one’s own hand. Daily maintenance of shrines is a prime example of personal piety without overtly public, communal, or formalized elements. [...] His establishment of a garden also served as an offering. Cultivating gardens in shrines physically and materially manifested affection; the garden’s maintenance, as a form of repeated devotional activity, deserves much greater study."

I’ve made important cuts here so I urge you to go look at the article but I hope this gets my point across. I’m well aware that academia has not treated personal religious experiences with the same attention and study as official city religion and philosophical debates but it is necessary for us, as modern worshippers, recon or not, to pay attention to what was actually done by our predecessors. Not just what they wrote. 

[yanderesmythos]

🎼Yandere! Apollo(General) Headcanon⚕:

Tw: Violence, implied dub-con, delusions, mention of flaying, slight nsfw, toxic relationship, curses.

Ah, Apollo is known to be attracted to those that represent beauty. So when he got the gist of rumor spreading through the island of Kythira, that a young maiden has a mellifluous voice and an equally divine figure. He declared that he had to investigate, to make sure the rumours are true.

Thus, the blond god decided to pay a visit to meet the cryptic maiden; that had lit the flames of his curiosity as if it was the flames of Olympus* itself!

Before he descends to the village, Apollo disguised himself as man in his mid-thirties that have a flowing chocolate locks for tresses and stubbles beneath his chin. ' Now, to find the μούσα* of this village.'

The first thing that came to his mind, is that to search for her in the fields of flowers. Alas, he didn't find her which made him the more so frustrated. Were those rumours a mockery, just to taunt him for every lover he had met a tragic end?* If so, how dare they!

Yet, a kind gentlemen has came his way and saw the impatient expression painting Apollo's face. 'χαῖρε*, friend! I saw you were troubled, that's why I am here to help. As far as I am concerned, you're here to meet the allegedly fair maiden of our village. If you want to her, then head to the south east of chora. You'll find her humming a hymn and playing with animals, and Ὑγιαίνε!*'.

Before, he could give his blessing and gratitude to the man. The individual vanished into thin air as if he never existed. Nonetheless a smile tore Apollo's face, as he began heading to the place that stranger told him to go.

When he arrived to the location, his breath was hitched by not the beauty of place. But, with the woman in a flowy white dress who was singing her heart out. His heart was thumping so hard, that he feared that it may stop thanks to the woman in a simple village dress. It seems that the rumours were not an empty gossip, after all. Oh, did he finally 'meet' his muse and he won't let what occured to his past lovers happen to you!

Apollo is obsessive, clingy, delusional, and overwhelming-ly overprotective to the point of being overbearing. But, that's understandable when most of your lovers either wind up dead or turned into some kind of plant!

Apollo adores you immensely, so much that he will go as far as to defying you to his worshippers. Any mockery of you is akin of insulting him, which will steer his wrath. And his wrath isn't something to be taken so lightly, especially if his darling is involved.

It's a guarantee that Apollo will write poems, hymns*, and songs of praise for you. As well as, ensuring one of his devoted servants to sculpt you in the most pristine form and to be spread all through Greece. Then, he'll get rid of them* because he is the only one who has the right to appreciate s/o naked figure. 'What a fair woman you are, my μούσα. How fortunate, for the sisters of fate had decided to bind us together. So, let's take advantage of it and create the masterpiece of our deathless love.'

In fear of your death, the first thing Apollo will do is to force the ambrosia* upon you. Whether be it you're willing, or kicking and screaming to be let go. He simply will ignore it, as he believes those are 'signals' indicating that you desire him as much as he desires you. 'Shhh, μούσα. No need to be afraid, after all we will be together forever. Aww, those tears of happiness has blessed my day. Now, let me return the favour in our private chamber.'

If you're were to be taken away from Apollo, or worse injured significantly. Then, those imbeciles must be prepared to accept their fates. Oh dear, it has been itching him for a while to use his bow and arrow! Or, maybe flay them for their discretion of his sacred beloved.

Plus, he may or may not consider cursing their homeland with a terminal illness to make an example out of any mortal who has any ill intention toward s/o.

On another notice, rejecting or escaping him won't effect the outcome. As he'll accumulate you one way or another, in addition you'll be punished severely for 'breaking' his fragile heart. But don't worry, he won't hurt you....that much.

If you happened to escape on your own accord, not only will you make Apollo upset but also Artemis for upsetting her twin brother. (In which case, I believe from this scenario Artemis would've developed platonic obsession. Mainly, that you make her brother happy and that you haven't been dead yet. And, for that she promised to protect you until her last breath. Not only for her brother, but for herself as it has been a while since she met a kind mortal.)

Then, you'll become the prey of both Apollo and Artemis hunting game. If Artemis was the one to catch you, then you'll be handed to the lovesick god as he begin to drown you in his hold. However, if Apollo was the one to catch her then the s/o must be in for an intense 'love' session. In both scenarios, you'll be handed to him. It's just his reaction, that will differ.

Oh, also don't even attempt to break Apollo's delusions of you. As he will become a horrendous individual to meddle with, if he ever become lucid. And, the punishments will be amped to mind-shattering level. So try not to tread on his delusions, and you'll be safe for the most part. The more you escape, the more he'll be aware. Thus, he'll slowly become lucid. Oh, and just because he's lucid doesn't mean that he'll give up his beloved. NO! he'll be more persistent and bitter in his approach than his deluded state which is more softer and sweeter than any honey.

Anyways, one of his favored hobbies is to enact your and his fantasies with you. He can't help, but gushes at your flushed and drooling visage as he overstimulates your genital. 'Ahh, you're so.... dazzling especially with that flustered expression upon your face. Oh? You want more? Ask and you shall receive. No need to be shy with me, my βασίλισσα*.'

Anyways, as long as you play your cards right you might escape with your wits and sanity intact. But.....at the cost of either becoming the most dreaded immortal or cursed so no one can love you, but Apollo himself.

In which case, the isolation and ostracizion from the mortals will most likely drive you to return to him. 'Ah looks like you've learnt your lesson, κακῶς κόρην*. I forgive you now, so come into my warm embrace.'

Notes:

* Flame of Olympus: Here, I was referencing the myth of the first flame that Prometheus gave to humanity. Leading him, to be punished by Zeus.

* μούσα: Muse in greek.

* Tragic end: Poor Apollo. Each time he loves someone, they die or turn to plants. First, Daphne(turned into a Laurel tree) then Hyacinth(turned into Larkspur flower) then Cassandra(cursed for the rest of her life with the misfortune of no one believing her oracles). The last one, was a prickly act from Apollo ngl. But, then again there is no one right in the mythos. Everyone must've done something shitty for petty reasons with few exclusions (hestia/hades).

*χαῖρε: Hello in ancient greek.

*Ὑγιαίνε: Good luck in ancient greek.

*Hymns: are songs of praises towards a deity.

*then he'll get rid of them: you'll ask why would he spread sculptures of you around Greece, yet will punish anyone who worships it. Simply, because that's called hypocrisy and boy there is alot of it in the mythology. *Cough* Zeus *Cough*

*Ambrosia: Called 'the food of the gods', it is guaranteed to make any mortal into immortal.

* βασίλισσα: Queen in ancient greek.

*The first one to answer this will get a cookie from me: Who was the mysterious man that spoke with Apollo?

A/n: I apologize for uploading late, as I am busy with studying for my finals. Lastly, I hope you enjoyed this and thanks for requesting! Take care!

[merakiui]

the albedo and scaramouche ones got me curious...

what if the ‘baby trap’ situation happened with yan!venti? he tends to advocate for freedom more, right, but he does seem like the type to guilt trip his s/o into staying with him. now that his s/o is pregnant, would he leap onto that as an opportunity for manipulation?

he does seem like the type to want kids, though. it must be rather confusing though, especially with their children being half-archon half-human

Good question, anon! Now hear me out. I had a thought while reading your words. And I also think Venti would want kids. He’s such a loving, bubbly person; it’s obvious those cheery qualities of him will make him a very good father. But yan!Venti is another story in itself. I rambled a little bit, so please forgive me. orz

(cw: yandere, unhealthy relationship/behaviors, religious beliefs, sacrilege, implied dub-con/nsfw elements, pregnancy, female reader, implied emotional manipulation)

Rather than a darling who’s unwilling to bear her yandere’s child, consider a darling who does want children and is very devoted to her Archon. You pray every day, visit the church whenever you can to attend services and help out, and you even do things with the thought in mind that Lord Barbatos is watching. Would you ever severely lie to someone? No, Barbatos is watching. Would you tell a small lie? Perhaps, but the thought remains that Barbatos is always watching and you must be a respectful, upstanding person in his eyes. 

So it’s not a surprise when you visit the church late at night to pray after waking from a restless nightmare. The Knights put on guard duty nod at you, recognizing you as one of the most devout worshippers in Mondstadt. Almost everyone is aware of your good-natured personality, so soft and kind that there’s no way you could ever do anything wrong. The Knights have put their own trust in you and they continue to do so because you’ve never once shown malicious intentions or an ulterior motive. You explain why you’re here and what brought you out this late at night, asking if you could just have a moment to slip inside to pray within the calming confines of the church. 

The two Knights are men who you have known for quite some time now, often talking to them when they’re on break or while they’re milling about town. They seem to debate this for a moment before shrugging, figuring a few minutes can’t hurt. Besides, even if they did get in trouble for allowing this, Jean will understand the situation, as she’s actually met you a few times before and has enjoyed peaceful conversations with you. 

You’re thanking the knights when they let you inside, grateful that they’re giving you time to relax and pray after a scary dream. And when those doors close before you and the only light is the glow of the moon coming in through the windows you finally see him. 

It’s not Venti. At least, not the boy who’s curiously watched you for the past month to find out where your devotion stems from. You’ve never actually seen Barbatos in the flesh before, only seeing portraits and hearing the locals’ opinions on what he might look like. His outfit isn’t something you expected a god would wear, but he seems genuine nonetheless. 

And somehow he convinces you to bear his child. It’s strange at first, when he asks so politely if you would consider doing an act of good service for your Archon. And you’re willing to hear him out because this is actually real. This is your beloved Lord Barbatos! How can you say no when he’s proven to you that he’s the real deal? It’s a little awkward when he asks you to bear his child, though. You’re not really sure if you’re ready for that sort of commitment and it feels almost wrong to have a child with someone as holy as him. 

Almost like it’s forbidden. 

But after some persuasive words and some sweet compliments you give in, feeling like you’d be sinning if you denied him outright. He smiles and in the moonlight he appears almost ethereal. 

With a finger held up to his lips, he playfully reminds you of the knights waiting outside and you return his gesture with an uncertain smile of your own. 

Once you’re pregnant, Venti easily comes clean about his current form and it leaves you conflicted. Technically, he didn’t lie to you. He is Barbatos and he never said anything about taking on different forms. But you still feel uneasy about it as memories of that night make you realize the utter sacrilege of your actions. You had sex in a place of worship. Does that mean you’re a bad person? Does that mean Lord Barbatos—or Venti, for that matter—will see you as unworthy and unfit to give birth? 

Venti assures you that it isn’t a big deal. He loves you, after all! And love and freedom are two of the most powerful things in this world. You’ll be a wonderful mother and if you start second guessing yourself then a few sob stories from him are sure to change your mind. Somehow, through all of his emotional manipulation and charming words, it still feels wrong. 

You’re not really sure why you agreed in the first place, but you’d be lying if you said you weren’t lucky to have been chosen by him. It makes you feel special and valued. Maybe bearing his child won’t be all that bad.

[kendrixtermina]

The Types as Musicians

i was initially doing research to make “unstereotypic own words playlists” for the other 8 types after i made the 5 one, but i soon realized that i wouldnt have enough material for many of them. 

Personality Database proved utterly useless in this endeavor because they type everyone & their dog as infj 4. 

It’s like they’re too preoccupied with empty praise to really try to understand what makes their favs the way they are. 

Still, this is what i noticed trying to look up musicians of different types. 

1:

drawing a blank, maybe they’re all in classical or some other genre I don’t listen to. 

2:

I can only think of Dolly Parton

3: 

Their songs come in roughly two genres: “self-referential badassitude hymn” and “unironic passionate lovesong” ( can also be directed at friends or Family). The latter are the really good ones IMHO. 

Examples:

Britney Spears

Taylor Swift

christina aquilera 

madonna

bebe rexha

4:

I think most of you can picture this one. theyre very concentrated in the arts.  Back in my day it was rockbands, nowadays a lot of them are in indie. 

Of course saying this is tantamout to summoning att the ones from the woodworks who like some completely different genres and do not want to be associated with the above

[ducks]

Examples: 

 Amy Lee of Evanescence

Emilie Autumn

Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless

Toopoor

marylin manson

the frontman from mindless self indulgence. 

the mcr frontman

lana del rey

Jonathan Davis from Korn

5:

Avantgardistic and high-concept stuff. Grunge, Metal, and a sizeable fraction of  european bands that dont sing in English

Also, nearly all those “one guy and his laptop” acts 

Examples:

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana

Trenz Reznor of NiN

Honey Malecki of Welle Erdball

Matt Bellamy of Muse

Thom Yorke

Whoever was in charge of lyrics for the earlier albums of In Flames. i bet you my glasses. 

Blixa Bargeld of Einstürzende Neubauten

Sophie Xeon 

6:

supposedly theres quite a lot of them in hiphop/rap as well but im not an expert in that. probably punk & alt rock, too. You’ll recognize that those two genres often have alot of quick rapid fire lyrics.

The ones I was personally familiar with were mostly singer-songwriter types

Examples: 

Mitski

Meg Myers

La Roux

if you asked me to find the common denominator of these, i would say “a lot of feelings”. 

7:

Also come in two grenres: “Terribly Sad Wailing Breakup Song” and “associative Thinking galore creativity explosion”, surprising propensity of ‘layered’ writing where a song will sometimes be about several things at once

Sometimes the same artist will go back and forth between Wailing Breakup and Creativity Explosion, or even pull off both at once. 

Lady Gaga

Tori Amos 

Lindsay Stirling (the violinist)

amy winehouse

rihanna

Fiona Apple

Cardi B

8: 

There were not many examples but i did find a few:

Garbage’s Shirley Manson

P!nk

Peaches

What would I say the common denominator is? It’s dangerous to extrapolate from so few data points, but I’d say a love of scandalous costumes, and the more emotional songs having an undercurrent of tiredness.

9: 

Many widely beloved, ‘iconic’ artists with devoted worshippers. A lot of colorful dreamy/whimsical clothes & aesthetic. 

Otherwise run a pretty wide gamut.  I see a lot more common through-lines with 9 writers. (though many of them are also super beloved household names)

Examples: 

Shakira

Hayley kiyoko

Lil nas x

Beyonce

Ashnikko

Björk

Enya

Note that contrary to popular belief not all of these even have a vibe that could be described as particularly chill. if anything the through line seems to be flexibility & quirkyness. 

its striking that i was familiar with so many of their names & the few most famous songs though im not a big fan of any of these nor intently following popculture. theyre just very popular & ppl frequently gush about them. 

Seems like type 9 has the optimum balance of unique creativity and broad relatable appeal. Plus, you can talk in normal-sized sentences unlike us head types