#AltU: Fuse

[sahashbelvanie]

The Executor — two people, wielding one blade.

There was once a wandering samurai, a woman from the Land of Reeds, far to the east. She held a deep regard for the natural world, with a particular reverence for flowers. A flower’s rooted purpose was to survive and propagate, and the woman gave shape to this reverence through her paintings. Her wandering journey ended upon her arrival to the Lands Between. She looked up at the sky and was entranced, lost for words at the sight of the transcendent Erdtree. Out of gratitude, she hoped to one day lay down her life before this grand spiritual marvel. The samurai then noticed that the Crucible of Life, the primordial origin of the Erdtree, had found purchase within her.

The woman stayed in a dilapidated shack upon the Altus Plateau—her “studio”—where she would paint. Flowers flush with grace would grow in her studio. She was imprisoned here for a crime, and a man, a Crucible Knight of Ordovis, was her executioner, standing by as a “guest” in her home. She painted the Erdtree, inspired by what she saw, and the knight would delay her execution until the painting was finished.

At times she would rest, taking a break to instead sketch her katana as a study, which she thought of as her silent old friend from her homeland. In time, she entrusted this blade to her executioner and resumed progress upon her Erdtree painting. However, she realized that the painting would not be finished in time before another executioner was sent to fulfill the duty that the first could not. So she instead began painting a portrait of her executioner, who by that point could not choose whether to execute the woman. But the moment of the end would come to pass.

The samurai’s executioner, whom she had come to regard as her guest, slew the second executioner outside the studio—a fellow Crucible Knight—who had at last killed the woman for her crime. Standing over the woman’s body, her guest held her blade and performed a forbidden technique called Seppuku, plunging the blade into his stomach, his body toppling over hers.

Neither the criminal woman nor the Crucible Knight have been seen since. Upon awakening, now as one—armor fused onto flesh—they picked up their blade in the aftermath, stained with gold and blood. A cursed blade that feeds on battle.

[saritapaleo]

Archovember 2024 Day 9 - Spiclypeus shipporum

Spiclypeus shipporum was a large chasmosaurine ceratopsian from Late Cretaceous Montana, USA. It is only known from one specimen (a partial skull, vertebrae, ribs, a left humerus, a left ilium and the left hindlimb) nicknamed “Judith” after the Judith River Formation. But this specimen is very unique, with brow horns that swept out to the side and two epiparietals (frill horns) fused and curling down over its frill. Judith appeared to also have sustained an infection in their frill, hypothesised to have come from an injury inflicted by a rival Spiclypeus, where the rival’s brow horns pierced into the bone of Judith’s frill. They also had a more serious infection in their humerus, with a large abscess, as well as evidence of arthritis. Judith was an adult, at least 10 years old, and it’s suspected that they had reach an advanced age before dying, despite their injuries. They were a testament to the rough life of combat and survival ceratopsians faced, and their resilience in spite of it all.

Spiclypeus lived in the Judith River Formation during the Late Campanian. It would have lived on a coastal floodplain criss-crossed by rivers and oxbow lakes. It may have lived alongside other ceratopsians, but there is a hypothesis that Spiclypeus, Ceratops montanus, and Pentaceratops aquilonius may all be the same species, however, so far their remains are too fragmentary to form a conclusion. It would have also shared space with the hadrosaur Corythosaurus, the ankylosaurs Edmontonia and Zuul, and the pachycephalosaur Hanssuesia. Theropods included the dromaeosaurs Dromaeosaurus and Saurornitholestes, the avialan Hesperornis altus, and the tyrannosaurid apex predators Daspletosaurus and Gorgosaurus. Other reptiles included lizards, turtles, the choristodere Champsosaurus, and the alligatoroids Leidyosuchus and Deinosuchus.

This art may be used for educational purposes, with credit, but please contact me first for permission before using my art. I would like to know where and how it is being used. If you don’t have something to add that was not already addressed in this caption, please do not repost this art. Thank you!

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

Also have a what if they kissed but Vladibin (:

✧ ━━ 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃? 𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙶𝚄𝙴 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙴

Robin Altus Baudelaire had always prided and thought of himself a well-tempered and well-mannered man, traits that had earned him a reputation as one of the most level-headed figures in Court. Not as though it was a difficult feat, mind you. His empathy was boundless, he approached life with an endless wealth of patience; so often did he turn a blind eye to unimportant annoyances, and most he could continue to ignore until they fizzled out on their own. This was no different. His eye twitched at the parade of women fluttering about his husband. Countless had tried before, and countless had been turned away by said husband. Vladimir was the pinnacle of loyalty that any man should strive to be, but the sight of all those flirtatious glances ignited something primal within Robin ━ a possessive fire which simmered dangerously close to the surface.

He had no reason to feel volatile, no justification for the storm brewing inside him, and most certainly no reason for disrupting Miss Felicity and Vladimir conversation. Pale hands curled playfully around his husbands arm, his wedding ring catching the light, as if he needed to ever try to capture his husband's attention. Robin knew fully well all of this playful vying was pointless, he could have called from a mile away and Vladimir would have shown up before the echo even returned. Perhaps it was merely a whimsical desire to witness Felicity's flustered reaction as she wrestled with her discomfort at being eclipsed so easily.

The two slipped out of the masquerade; Robin managed to maintain a façade of calm as he guided his love through the dimly lit corridors of the manor. Once the laughter and music of the evening's festivities faded into a silence, the fuse popped. Urgency struck, and he encircled Vladimir's waist with both hands, drawing him closer and backing him against one of the many stone pillars which dotted the grand halls. His thigh forced its way between his husband's legs, and Robin practically ripped off Vladimir's cravat ━ he'd sew it later, he didn't care, he was too charged for gentle motions now. Robin's lips traveled down the column of his husband's neck, leaving a trail of bruises in his wake; the soft hitch of his darling's breaths, the delightful purrs rumbing in his throat ━ it was all driving him mad.

He was far from finished, but for now, Robin's gaze glinted satisfactorily at the vibrant tapestry of red blooms and tantalizing bites now adorning Vladimir’s pulse and collarbone; he felt proud, somehow. Leaning on his toes, he savored the moment, pressing a final, torturously long and needy kiss to Vladimir's lips. As he pulled back, Robin paused, his stare trailing over his lover's ravaged form, noting the remnants of clothing that had been all but sacrificed to their wild entanglement ━ not as though the Count's claws had been particularly merciful with his own attire. But the distance between them was short-lived: how was he to resist the allure of those crimson eyes? They beckoned him, and Vlad's sultry voice cooed for his darling to return into his arms to be stolen away for the night.

A pleasure Robin would never deny himself.

[goattypegirl]

Elden Ring Lore Bullshit I was going to type out a whole ass post but it spiraled out of control and I got stuff to do so here's like a pin board list of points you'll see the Vision.

Lands of Shadow, surpressing pillar, place acts like a magnet for Death.

Cerulean Coast, big ass stone coffins, attracted by death magnet probably, putrescence (coffin goo) pooled in the underground. Big ass stone coffins have Uhl Palace designs, which is Weird and Interesting.

Ark theory, coffins were arks for ancient Uhl, really cool, but probably not real, since Land of Shadow was in the center of Lands Between (probably) and Cerulean Coast would overlap with Limgrave (probably).

Unless coffins we see were the ones that didn't make it and washed up on Cerulean Coast post Land of Shadow exile? But then where did the arks land in pre-seperation lands between?

(sidenote, Limgrave architecture and environment most closely matches Raugh? Which corresponds to Liurnia/Altus border? Huh?)

Uhl/Nox connections: drawing from this video, (kinda aged poorly with dlc but Uhl/Nox connections are interesting) EDITORS NOTE: it may have been this video my bad

Nox were beset by meteors and moved underground, but meteor related stuff is found in Uhl ruins, Uhl ruins are found both above and below ground, but Nox only underground, Nox cities are built in the underground, like hanging from the ceiling, doesn't make sense they were once on the surface and transplanted underground. Uhl people became Nox.

Dont ask how linchpin stones tie into this

Nox/Numen connections, Black Knife assassins were Numen and scions of eternal city, therefore Nox were a branch of/descended from Numen

Therefore, Numen are a branch of/descended from Uhl people

How the fuck does Elden John fit into this? Originator of people-tree religion, Shaman Village grandmother, inspired Marika to make Erdtree and Erdtree Burial??

Uhl style architecture also found in Belurat and Enir-Ilim. Hornsent also descended from Uhl?

Enir-Ilim also has people fusing into trees

Oh god oh fuck

Fused calcified bodies in eternal cities, and fused calcified bodies in Enir-ilim and Gate of Divinity. Drawing from same source or Nox imitation?

Nox chair crypts. Giant corpses for giant coffins?

Coffin magic! Grand Cloister (Uhl architecture) to southern Liurnia, Nokron to nameless eternal city (Nox architecture). Another connection between the two, plus connection to Cerulean Coast coffins?

Ark theory 2 return of ark theory??

Giant corpses, connection to giants? Fell god of giants feared in Hornsent culture. Giants originated smithing, forges found in Land of Shadow.

Forges only place with Misbegotten, for some reason?

Meteoric Ore Greatsword, chipped arrowhead of "old gods", meteor ore found in divine towers.

Old gods = giant corpses in Cerulean Coast coffins?

Ties to fossilized titans in Caelid and Mountaintop?

Mother of all crucible talisman? Found on giant flesh? Radagon's weird connection to giants??

Pepe_Silvia.gif

[sir-virtem]

Godrick, Age of New Crucible

Godrick is a facinating subject, at first gaze is a zero to the left, however if one take a moment to think about it things start to build bit to bit.

Knowing him, he may try to do something dumb, and considering that no body cares the prohibition of fire, he may:

try to fuse himself to the erdtree.

try to use the Black Flame to burn reignite the forge.

try to make a deal with trolls/giant/monks to reignite the forge for him

I don't think is dumb enough to try the frenzy flame tho...

Propaganda and anlysis after the cut.

To start, is clear that the Golden Lineage and by extenaion Godrick, have little care over the Golden Order and instead are in favor to just Erdtree, they glorify Godfrey, wield Erdtree simbols and similars. Whatever happened from one period to other in which they lost their glory has like consecuence that they don't subscribe to fundamentalist at all and not even care on their zealoty.

The largest comunity of trolls we see outside of Mountain tops is in Stormveil and we see them wandering Limgrave freely, probably has to do with the alliance between trolls and the erdtree, buy not even Liurnia and Carians have this many and they have story together too. If so many Trolls are willing to serve to him and he let them be, then is probably is going on something between both parties.

May be because of Godwyn or just ignorance from him, but he have respect for Greyoll's Kin, we know thanks the DLC that this is not the norm, people hunt and prey on them because is what Placidusax desire, we know that Dragons and Trolls hate ache others, Ezkeyes hated Dragon Communion enough to besiege the cathedral and Ancient Dragon hate them too, then is Godrick who consider them to be "trur heirs", perhaps if his age came Dragon Communion & Dragon Cult would florish newly but with reverence instead of hatred to Greyoll's kin.

Regarding the Misbegotten, there isn't to much to say, the misbegotten on castle Morne revolted agaisnt Edgar administration, we know they were tortured to different levels but strangly Edgar don't understand why, is probably that his actions were under some belief related to GO that crucible are a depiction of primitivism and were trying to civilize them, horrible actions under thought of greater good to the target, but there was some good intention... somewhere, one could argue that has time path a LB under Godrick influence could slowly but steady shift to a lore welcoming period to Misbegottens, however wouldn't be soon.

Albinaurics, nothing to say, most people see them negative or like tools due their lack of Goldness, even between the Carians they aren't safe if Rykard is an example.

Omens, is shaddy, we known that noble omens are keep with their horns and so those are probably his relatives, while peasant omens get their horn cut, but here is were goes interesting, there is a single omen on his service (with a dog), is weird since in Leyndell aren't peasant noble guarding the city or forts in altus, at best there is one in a camp or hiding in crypts and cut content wise, Leyndellian nobles hate them... ain't sure what this says about him, but speaks badly about everyone else.

With all that said, a recapitulation of Godrick story and intention are worth to be said, he left Leyndell after the Shattering disguised like a woman, some people believe that was him who leid siegue over Leyndell, I do not since the standard wage in the interwall is The Ancient Storm banner and not The Erdtree & The Lion so was probably Godefroy who did it, was besiegued by Radahn & hold his ground (that is for what castle are for), challenge Malenia & came out alive (idk the rest but that is impresive to me) and since then seems like he has being trying to unify Limgrave while starting to graft on himself since doesn't seem like Kenneth has being fortless for to long. Similarly his dying dialogue "And one day, we'all return together... to our home, bathed in rays of gold", he doesn't want to return to Leyndell just like the Lord of All that is Golden, he wants to return with those on his side, fringefolks, trolls, banish knights, exhileds, (maybe that one omen), said what you want, but he at least have no intention to left his people behind.

I think that considering everything, his age would be a counter-reform to Radagon's, under his rule we saw the rise of fundamentalism and the persecution of what reminiscent to past period, with Godrick we would see a reverence to aspects to the crucibles and a tolerance to old allies and foes, while he may not be the best candidates he at least is the only who still cares what imply such thing. May take a while, but he still want a full campaign, he would mimic Godfrey and have a Long March, unifing everyone on his way, Limhrave to Altus & Gelmir to Mountain Tops, the banner of all that is Golden would rise.

If you could get one of these characters their own endings, which one it would be?

I'm writing some self-indulgent fic about Messmer and I imagined what would happen, if he would burn for our sake at Giants' Forge, like, would be similar to Melina thing or Frenzy thing? So, I started to think about others and I want to hear other people's thoughts and see, if people yearn more for twinks or muscle mommies.

So, I'm starting with just demigods, because it would be impossible to fit NPC's and some bosses I think could give interesting endings (like Ymir/Metyr or Placidusax/Bayle).

Also, didn't add Godwyn, because technically, he has his own ending already, but also isn't really sentient, like, that man is a whole mess. And Ranni already has her own special ending, so she can sit this one.

Please, write down why you choose specific demigod and what their ending would look like! I personally imagine Messmer's ending with him burning down himself Ranni style, to stop influence of serpent on himself and to allow Tarnished to go into Erdtree, maybe also giving us special mending-rune, rune which would burn so strong, it would block all Outer Gods influence from Lands Between, as it were misguided fingers and gods that made his mother's and his life nightmare, maybe he would do some ritualistic cleanse of his sins. Tell me your ideas!

[livelivefastfree]

hey I'm a big Motorcity fan and your art is absolutely amazing !! Especially your fusions and Iwas wondering if you could do a fusion dance and fusion for Junior and Texas

I’m not so good at drawing dances, but I’m imagining some very aggressive freestyle that probably involves some wrestling and then also all of a sudden

A BIG FELLA

He likes 1. doing rad stunts, 2. yelling about rad stunts, 3. showing off how many flips he can do in a row, 4. giant dancing, 5. crime, 6. rad stunts.

[strad-214]

Sunday, 06/14/2020 The Force:

The Force… the energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the universe together. It was discovered before the founding of the Republic… before the founding of the Jedi even. Its applications are limitless, so long as one has a strong enough link to it and knows how to control it. Control it, yet listen to its will. Allow it to give life, and understand when it destroys life. Bask in its light, and be able to wander in its darkness. To trust it, listen to it, feel it, see it, touch it, touch the universe with it, become one with it. The Force is everything and nothing, it is even possibly real… let us explore it now together.

Approximately 100,000 B.B.Y., the Sith civilization took shape beyond the outer rim in what is now counted as the Trans-Hydian Borderlands, the bordering systems of the latter region in the New Territories, and the northern tip of The Slice regions of the Galaxy. Together they discovered the Bogan, the Dark Side of the Force. They began to use these magics, as they called them, to manipulate their surroundings, to conquer and enslave each other, and to build weapons. Likewise, literally across the other side of the Galaxy in the wild, unexplored regions and around 30,000 B.B.Y., the Rakata people also discover the Bogan and use it in similar ways. They create hyperdrives and invade the core systems, wielding this power to enslave many races and build technology. The Rakata rule the Galaxy at large for nearly 5,000 standard years, but infighting and greed got the best of them and the empire implodes, as often happens to civilizations that practice the ways of the Dark Side of the Force. In the wake of their own demise, the Core Systems begin to reach out to one another for support and soon, the Galactic Republic is born from the ashes of tyranny and oppression. With them, many philosophers and scientists began to study this mystical power the Rakata were able to wield. They went to the ancient world of Tython to investigate this power and test the limits of its applications. These early scientists named the power the Ashla and decided that, unlike their oppressors, they will use this power to help and aid the peoples of this new Republic. And thus, the Jedi Order was born. Not all Jedi agreed with using this power to help and aid others, however, and a schism formed in the Jedi Order. Many wars followed this first schism; much of these wars were fought exclusively against the Jedi. By 7003 B.B.Y., a second great schism occurred. This time, one singular war occurred, between legions of Jedi Knights and Dark Jedi, wielding the Light and the Dark sides of the Force respectively. For one hundred years this war lasted, bringing death and destruction to the fledgling Republic. Once the war was over, the remaining Dark Jedi were sent into Exile to the far reaches of the galaxy… to the Sith Empire, which not even the Rakata had known existed. There, in the darkness, the Dark Jedi overthrew the Sith Lords and took over their empire. They expand the Sith Empire in faction and power, and they return to the Republic to exact their revenge in 5,000 B.B.Y. The event is called the Great Hyperspace War, and it ended with the fall of the Sith Empire, the remnants of which were sent back from whence they came, scattered and broken. Every time thereafter that the Sith have returned, they have taken another slice of the Galaxy with them back to their graves, a little more goodness, a little more disaster. But every time, they were indeed defeated and the Jedi stood victorious. Thus the balance of the Force has always swung one way or another for many eras of time. It only came truly into balance when the Prophecy of the Chosen one was realized in 4 A.B.Y. when Darth Vader, the last of the original Jedi Order and Sith Lord, destroys his Sith Master and himself, perishing due to damage to his life support systems. The only Force wielding major now left in the Galaxy was his own son, Luke, who’s knowledge of the Force was segmented at best. And his Jedi Order—in both versions of canon—never amounted to the strength as that of those first who rallied together on Tython those many years ago.

The Force has been described to be this mythical energy that is created by the living creatures of the Galaxy. It emanates from all beings touched by the Force and its will is our command. Whenever we come across a coincidence too good to be true, whenever our instincts and our reflexes perform beyond our realm of capabilities, whenever we have a strange feeling and wind up finding out why, this is the Force speaking to us, guiding us. This, in all versions of Jedi lore, is constant. There are believed to be two sides to the Force as a whole: The Living Force and the Unifying Force. The Living Force is the energy that directly emanates from living beings; through the Living Force, the Jedi can connect with their colleagues, those they protect, those they fight against and the environments they explore. The Unifying Force is the cosmic energy that travels between stars; this energy is what makes up the gaps between nebula and the rippling fabric of space and time. When Jedi study the Force, they first study it as Youngling Initiates. The extent of their abilities are limited to self directed applications of the Force all labeled “Control”. These abilities are designed to help a Jedi protect themselves and others: Tutaminis is the ability to diffuse radiations by using the benevolent energy of the Force; it’s application could be as simple as protecting one’s skin from too much sunlight or as forceful as reflecting a blasterbolt or even wild electric tendrils like Force Lightning. Curato Salva is a whole family of abilities that focus on healing. Jedi can draw on the Force to refresh their own energy, to increase the growth of new cells when healing wounds, to flush out toxins and poisons from the bloodstream and ignore the affects of which, to locate and burn out clusters of disease in the body, and to increase one’s tolerance to pain when you cannot heal yourself. Altus Sopor is the practice of deepening one’s connection to the Force, it is the act of directly reaching back through your connection to touch the Living and the Unifying Force, so that you can strengthen your access to it and your understanding of it.

Once a Youngling has mastered the family of “Control”, they then, as Padawans, train in the families of “Sense” and “Alter”. Under “Sense” abilities, a Jedi can now use what they’ve learned from “Control” and reach outward, feeling the same energies they’ve learned to manipulate around them. Through this they can detect other life forms, feel the energies they emit and through that, their intentions and feelings. Like feeling the life of other creatures, Jedi can also feel the Force wherever it is strongest like on Ilum, Ossus, Dagobah and Tython. By learning how to control and protect their own bodies through the Force in Curato Salva, Jedi can enhance their own physical senses, seeing farther, smelling deeper or hearing more sensitive than they naturally could, even being able to deafen their ears to all but one sound they seek in a sea of noise. Some Jedi can apply their sense abilities to the Unifying Force, in doing so, they can see moments in time, even perceive visions of the future. If this ability where applied to an object, a Jedi could perceive what happened to that object and the person handling it. This ability is called Postcognition or Psychometry.

Under “Alter” abilities are the powers we see a Jedi perform more often. This is the practice of indeed applying the Force to the environment around a Jedi. “Telekinesis” is the ability to move objects with one’s mind. The Jedi is enacting their will on an object, causing it to move at their desired rate and direction. In this ability Jedi can push, pull, lift, levitate, throw, crush, open, or close anything no matter it be the size of a molecule or the size of a planet, for “size matters not.” Jedi have been known to part rivers, build bridges, construct their lightsabers, fuse items together, fill oxygen tanks, lift ships, boomerang their lightsabers, leap great distances, knock over armies, split open glass, and levitate themselves just by careful practice of this ability alone. If a Jedi were to apply “Telekinesis” to themselves while accessing the Unifying Force, time around them would slow while they themselves do not slow down. To their adversaries, the Jedi would be moving at an unnatural speed and have a very dramatic effect on the environment. This ability is almost exclusively tapped into instinctually, for a Jedi’s remarkable increase in speed has almost been entirely witnessed as a reaction, like for dodging. If the Jedi truly focused, they could apply this ability to specific parts of their bodies—say, their fists—and thus punch at a ridiculous speed, being able to possibly punch straight through durasteel plating. They better protect the part of their body they are using or risk irreversible injury. The Jedi can also use this ability to reach a great distance over a short time. But using this ability can be remarkably exhausting.

“Affect Mind”, more commonly known as the “Jedi Mind Trick”, is the ability to relate directly to the individual the Jedi is trying to affect and override their basic impulses. If a Jedi controls their inner most instincts enough and reaches out to the mind of a beast using this technique, they may be able to calm their primal rage this way as well and even possibly control them and communicate with them. In doing so, you can convince the person or the beast to do nearly anything. If a Jedi is particularly good at “Affect Mind” and can swim in both the currents of the Living Force and the Unifying Force at once, they can deeply meditate and affect the layout and outcome of an entire event. This is commonly called “Battle Meditation”, since most Jedi used this ability to bolster their troops in battle and to discourage the enemy troops.  While deeply meditating in this way, a Jedi can also create immaterial copies of themselves or their comrades and project them into the minds of those around them. This allows a Jedi to confuse, distract, or overwhelm their opponents without ever having lifted a finger. This ability has been called either “Force Projection” or simply “Doppelganger”. 

With enough time, study, and patience, a Jedi can also apply their manipulation of energy outward. If they do, they can possibly produce lightning from their fingertips just as the Sith do, except the emotion of rage and power hunger is removed and replaced with a determined sense of justice. When lightning is cast and is rooted in a sense of justice, the lightning may appear a bright emerald in color. A Jedi may also contain this raw energy into an orb called a “Kinetite” and throw it at their adversaries. Some Jedi and Sith have even been known to throw waves of fire using this method. If a Jedi focuses this energy the right way, they can also possibly interact with droids and other technology on a synaptic level. In focusing and training at the advanced and basic levels of all these abilities, a Jedi can apply the Force in so many various ways, many of which may not have even been considered yet. 

 Now... let us next address the controversial topic of the Midichlorians, because this is a focus on all aspects of Star Wars and the Midichlorians are in fact a part of this universe. First and foremost, Midichlorians are NOT the Force. The Force and its history has been described in detail here and in previous essays already. The concept of Midichlorians came to Lucas as a way of describing a tangible way of making the Force real. He did that by taking the two power houses of the living cells in our real every day life: the mitochondria of animal cells and the chloroplasts of plant cells, and combining them into one tiny sub-cell. Scientists today believe that mitochondria and chloroplasts were once single celled organisms that found a symbiotic relationship with another single celled organism. One cell��absorbed another and before it could digest the absorbed cell, that cell began to provide high levels of energy and nutrients for the cell that absorbed it. Over the centuries, as life began to diversify on Earth into plants and animals, those symbionts grew together and helped each other evolve into the multicellular organisms we are today. Proof of this can be found in the separate DNA strands housed in both the mitochondria and the chloroplasts that are organized like that of a single celled organism and code out to be exclusive to those organelles of the cell, not the organism of which they are a part of such as a dog, fish, bird, tree, cactus, or human being. And, the more mitochondria or chloroplasts the individual cell has, the higher rate of energy production that cell has and the higher the metabolism of the organism as a whole. This is sound, proven science. The more batteries you hook up to a generator, the longer it runs. The more cables you hook up to an antenna, the more stable your connection. The more midichlorians you contain, the stronger your connection to the Force. The midichlorians are the conduit, just as the batteries and the cables are. It would make sense to distinguish the difference between Force Sensitives and everyone else this way, especially if “all life is touched by the Force and produces the Force”. Then who can wield it if we are all touched by it? It’s no longer special if we could all access the Force directly, and yet, the fact remains that we all exhume the Force. So we all carry these conduits, some of us carry more than others. These are the ones who are Force Sensitive. Thus, the midichlorians play their roll. They do not define a Jedi’s ability to become strong, anybody can achieve anything if they train hard enough, but they do define their accessibility.

The Jedi Order has frequently been labeled as a religion of sorts because they study this almighty power. In order for the Jedi’s practice of the Force to be a religion, there would have to be deities to worship. There are supernatural beings like The Bendu and The Father, The Daughter, and the Son on Mortis, but their involvement in the story of Star Wars has been to accentuate main characters and their faults or strengths and the Jedi do not worship these beings, they acknowledge and study them. The Force itself may be considered a deity, but the Jedi have yet to be described as a people who offer sacrifices—vital, immaterial, or monetary—to the Force or even pray to the Force.

They study the Force, study being the key word, by directly communing with it, attempting to understand its intentions, and testing its limits; all very scientific approaches, approaches that are rooted in philosophy, not worship. The Jedi simply attempt to apply what they know about it to the Galaxy around them, and they have indeed proven it to be very real. This doesn’t make the Jedi not a religion, but I think simply calling them a religion is falling short of their true meaning and purpose which has always been to expand the boundaries of what’s possible and nurture life.

I ask you all reading my essays, is the Force real? Do you believe it can be real? Do you have to be able to lift a car with your mind and an outstretched hand in order for the Force to be real? After reviewing what the Force is already, I don’t think this is the case. The Force is much more than the superpowers we can tangibly see in the movies; it is the energy we feel between two lovers making a connection, it’s the miracles we witness when we hope hard enough, it’s the coincidence that we exist here. Some call it the hand of God, some call it evolution and perfect mathematics. I ask the religious, we were created imperfect so that we can grow and experience, so why would there be such perfect things around us, things that we cannot yet perceive or understand? Yes, that may be God’s doing… who’s God? Which God? Why are there so many versions? Well, the logical answer is because we are all individuals with individual ideas and we share those ideas… what a coincidence that those ideas happen to be so similar and so different at the same time. Like how Zeus is the God of Gods all living on Mt. Olympus together and each being responsible for specific things on the Earth below and how the Christian God is THE God and his Angels are instead responsible for specific things on the Earth below. The two religions are centuries apart in the founding, but the idea is the same. It’s really just a way for us to rationalize existence in the universe, but they all represent the same thing, they represent “a Force” that makes this Galaxy spin, that makes gravity work, that allowed all the right compounds to form at the right time in the right way to evolve into us. Here. On our planet. And we can feel that every day just by remembering that we’re here and that we can indeed feel that energy, when we make a connection between each other and the world around us. We feel that through the same emotions the Jedi maintain control over— inspiration, desire, belonging, and compassion— and the ones they avoid so they can keep a clear mind— frustration, hate, prejudice, and desire again… That hate and frustration we feel when we don’t know which side is right in a war… that desire when we want something better and don’t know how to reach it… that inspiration when a jazz band is silently communicating to weave the sweetest of melodies the likes of which never been played before… that compassion we as a race are compelled to offer each other when we forget those prejudices we all are bound to have… that is the Force.

 I’m sorry this is a week late everyone, life has taken a bit more precedence lately. I hope you gained something from this. Enjoy the rest of Jedi June.

May the Force be with you.

@jedijune

[upsmagazine]

Joseph Altuzarra Unveils Second Gender-Neutral ALTU Collection

Joseph Altuzarra Unveils Second Gender-Neutral ALTU Collection

As part of his ALTU line, Joseph Altuzarra has premiered another collection that embraces fluidity, curiosity, and youth. As part of his ALTU line, Joseph Altuzarra has premiered another collection that embraces fluidity, curiosity, and youth. Taking inspiration from his self-expression fused with sartorial experimentation, Joseph Altuzarra has debuted a new ALTU collection that merges these…

[foppishdandy]

@archontem

After the opening ceremonies, immediately. Southward of the cracked bell.

An electric fever runs through Minrathous this time of year, even the usual sneers and scowls of the upper class allow pleasantries around a crowd of mixed wealth. Resurrecting old ties abound, bringing together again relationships that were inconsiderable enough not to bother maintaining but companionable enough warrant updates. Truthfully, it was all an excuse to boast achievements and conveniently leave out any hiccups, bolstering their network. Dorian knew that routine all too well from a lifetime of being earshot to his father's mouth.

Oh, well. Tevinter could spare a moment for an anticipated reunion.

Passageways, a gentle baritone explained. Ones explicitly for the background fodder of Tevinter mused Dorian and, gently still, he was corrected: the backbone of Tevinter. The look that accompanied it-- he could hear the exasperation that remained unspoken, a pause that chastised him for allowing the claws of decadence to stain him just a bit. At any rate that was the correct definition that Dorian allowed to sink into the tidbits of things that illuminated his ignorance, and he was appreciative for the sting that it left; yet, a lifetime of privilege silenced him from agreeing out loud.

Careful instruction inspired him to look past the fluttering fans of Tevinter socialites, to see beyond their shoulders-tall poise, the wooden smiles that chilled him but ultimately made him replicate in moments of self-despising instinct-- and into the faces of their servants. Indeed there was an influx of paler faces that must have remained unkissed by a longtime residence in Tevinter sun. Maker bless the eye of a spy, he fairly swoon if the situation wasn't unfolding into something likely grave.

And watch for the Vints-- Tevinter, Dorian had been the one to do the correcting that time. --watch for the Tevinter that look at everyone and everything. You know, with a squint.

That doesn't narrow down any of these tight arses; he wished he had the time to play back and forth, to fall into sass and banter that was natural to him and he had hoped was still natural for them. Behind him, his lips remained like a ghost on a chin's rough scruff, and forward was the congregation of the proving grounds. He careened the crowd, gazing up upon the remarkability of Tevinter architecture: a feat of engineering in ascending tiers of gardens of all variety. A mountain of green wonder clinging to the walls, engraved with images of serpents and ancient deities. Beyond the bend of the next stone ramp, the indisputable silhouette of the archon's tourney best. Suddenly altogether aware of the traffic divergence elsewhere, Dorian chanced a glance away from his Grace's back to confirm it: a temporary moment, separated from the majority.

Decorum prompted him into the falsehood of humility-- it was the only thing Dorian didn't wear well. "Fashionably late, your Imperial Majesty?" Dubiously, perhaps? Best to spare the assumptions until after fusing into the genteel performance. He, of course, gave his own subtle but theatrical flair to the altus' bow, no doubt that the eye of Radonis would be keen enough to notice. "Quite the diversified spectators this year, mm?" He'll tread carefully.

[tearful]

this life is (not) a tragedy

title: this life is (not) a tragedy series: vanitas no carte ||  rating: nr (it’s probably gen at best but i didnt feel comfortable giving it a rating) word count: 900 notes: i wrote this in like an hour because i really wanted to write something and post it this weekend (read on ao3) summary:

Pass through the gateway of Altus and travel far from its proud cities and prouder capital. Travel until you hit the expanse of forests and go further still and even further then.

Pass through the gateway of Altus and travel far from its proud cities and prouder capital. Travel until you hit the expanse of forests and go further still and even further then. Nestled there is a large stone manor with creeping vines and boarded windows in halls and wings that are too decayed to be fit for the living. There are cracked statues of angels in the courtyard and fountains dried up, discolored from lack of care. A place abandoned by time and people.  

This is where Noé likes to sneak away sometimes when everything becomes too much and every shadow becomes a ghost and the wind becomes whispers. It's an old property of his master's written in a will as a departing gift for Dominique to do whatever she pleased with. She says she'll build it up one day, make it better and livable, but that day has yet to come.

So Noé makes use of it because it's secluded and the path leading to it is hard to find. He hides here away from eyes filled with pity and people that evade topics around the events that led up to this moment. No one talks about how he can't stay in Paris, a city he loved (and still loves) with his whole heart, for longer than a few days’ time. That’s all he has before nightmares creep, and everything reminds him that there were those he knew that won't be able to live in these experiences with him.

He sits on cracked and night cooled steps and tilts his head back to stare at the sky. The stars are beautiful and the waning moon even more so. There's a serenity in the night that makes Noé want to sleep, just to curl up and remember the times he was a child or just a few years younger, a time when his life was simple. A time before he realized that he's more familiar with death than anyone his age ought to be.

But falling asleep out here wouldn't be good and Domi will worry if he doesn't make it home by morning well and whole. He loves her too much to worry her as much as he did in the past when he was a bit more reckless and wild. He never noticed then and feels guilty about it on days when he spots shadows under her eyes and a tired slope of her shoulders.

This is a guilt he will never voice aloud because Domi is stubborn and bright and they've had a conversation before. The one where she tells him that made herself into someone Noé can rely on and not worry about when his one-track mind is focused on other things. It’s an image she’s up since Louis died all those years ago because the death of a beloved sibling changes something deep inside a person.

Louis is an ache that Noé feels fresh like it just happened, like the world is off kilter and nothing can right it. Because he was there in Louis’s last moments and watched his head roll and had blood splattered across clothes that had to be burned that night. Louis was young and would have grown into someone wonderful and lovely and so bright, but Noé feels like he robbed him of that even though everyone tells him he didn’t and has been for years.

They tell him the same about Vanitas too, that it wasn’t Noé’s fault, but there’s a traitorous part of him that whispers in his ear most nights before he falls asleep. It’s a voice that sounds like Noé’s own instead of Vanitas’s though, so that must count for something. It doesn’t feel like it does, however, not when the last look Vanitas ever gave him is burned across his eyelids, still unblurred despite the passage of time.

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? The world keeps turning and spinning and it still rains and the flowers still bloom and the sun still shines, even on days where it seems unfair to have all these beautiful things. Sometimes, Noé gets overwhelmed and sad enough that he can’t focus on anything because he’s always been someone that felt too much and loved enough for everyone he’s ever known. Someone once told him that all his compassion and kindness would only cause trouble one day, and Noé’s as stubborn as the rest of them when he wants to be, so he never stopped loving and caring and knows he’s better for it.

He’s not a person made for a tragedy, but no one would think that if he lists all the dead he’s had to bury, all the people that he’s lost. So, it’s okay if he has to hide away on some days, go to a dilapidated manor and stare at the stars and the moon and think about all the ones he’s grateful for having known. It’s okay that he’s still one of the few left living because he cares enough to remember even when remembering hurts.

That’s why he’s writing the memoir, staying up late enough that candles burn out all around him, and his eyes ache. By now, he doesn’t have a single shirt that isn’t stained and Domi fuses over the ink that seems to have made its home under his nails. But these are small sacrifices to repay those who have made this a life worth living.

[livelivefastfree]

Awhile back I saw your fusion of Red and Mike. What are your thoughts about that fusion? Doesn’t seem like a fun time for anyone involved.

Oof, lemme throw my brain back to three years ago, hmm...... :D I think I covered most of the important details about the Red+Mike fusion in the post itself, but generally-speaking I’m assuming it would be like...essentially Malachite.  Red keeping Mike there because it hurts him to be part of a fusion with someone who hates him so much, and Mike staying because if they’re fused at least Red can’t hurt anybody else.  Which is why his hands are permanently cuffed and probably....fused together at the wrists?  :Ic nasty.

If I were to write the scene, probably Red and Mike were grappling and the other Burners showed up, and Mike’s reaction of No he doesn’t get to hurt my friends combined with Red’s DAMMIT they’re going to outnumber me and he’ll get away AGAIN combined into.......this unfortunate son of a bitch. @u@  

Not sure what to call him, though.  Very tempted to call him “V” (geddit, like V for Vendetta...because Red’s intro episode was called “Vendetta”.......  I’ll see myself out).  Lord knows all the one-syllable names in this show don’t combine very well lol.  Rike?  Med.  Mike-But-He-Hates-Himself.  

[livelivefastfree]

nobody including me asked for an incredibly fast, scribbly comic about the first time Chuck and Julie fused

here it is anyway, because they’re legit my favorite fusion I’ve ever designed.

[livelivefastfree]

blackraspberrybitch said to livelivefastfree: AltU: Fusions, w/ Chuxas( or Tucker as I like to call him) and Mike 

Chuxas/Tucker calls Mike “’li’l bro” and “baby bro” and “little dude” a lot, is always looking for his approval and can’t handle it when Mike is upset.  When Chuck is too timid to go offer comfort, and Texas’s comfort is too blunt and unhelpful, you can always count on Chuxas to give a pretty good mix of the two!

And he gives great hugs, too.

[livelivefastfree]

you've drawn baby muck fusion, normal muck fusion, nightmare muck fusion SO! concept: hot older muck fusion (alternatively, tired burnerswap muck fusion)

what, like, from the timeswap-boyfriends thing?  are you encouraging me to fuse THE HOT FUTURE BOYFRIENDS

………..oh no.

OH………NO…………..

OH NO?????!!!!

((Also: I drew sad tired Burnerswap!Muckles fusion but it turned out really sad)) (like most things I draw about them tbh)  ((so I’m sticking it down here))

their circumstances are a whole other type of sad when their fusion is a person who loves being himself and hasn’t been allowd to exist for a long, long time because now Chuck and Mike and their fusion are ALL sad old men and it’s terribly distressing all around

((I figured the booster scars would carry over somehow just because (at least in Chuck’s head) they’re such a huge blow against their relationship and breaking his promise not to use them is something he feels like he can’t make up for))

((for the first time in a very, very long time, they fuse and almost immediately de-stabilize and un-fuse again, to the intense distress of at least two of the three parties involved))

[livelivefastfree]

How about a threeway Chuck/Julie/Mike fusion? A fusion of all five burners?? Or is it even possible in your fusion verse for more that two people to fuse?

AH YES.  Burnerx5 fusion!  

Desperately tricky to pull off but devastatingly effective. >:D They spend most of their time arguing with themself, but when they have a single focused goal they’re marvelously effective!

Plus they’re really big.  Like, really big.  A giant enby!

Also loud.  They have pieces of Mike’s enthusiasm, Dutch’s passion, Chuck’s hysteria and Texas’s...Texas.  They get pretty noisy sometimes.

But they’re cool!  And everybody involved has a lot of fun, while it lasts.  It’s just so tricky to stay balanced it’s way easier to fight seperately or fuse in smaller combinations, haha. 

[livelivefastfree]

Somebody mentioned a fusion between Chuck and Alex Harley.  WELL OKAY.  

Charley is real big and REAL bi, and full of weirdly sexual hatred for himself--and overwhelming affection for Mike.  

Long story short: giant four-armed nerd hates self while simultaneously thinking he’s the HOTTEST SHIT (the smartest coolest hottest etc etc etc).  Hits on Mike Chilton incessantly.

Mike doesn’t notice.