#Aspects of Tep

[superat626]

Sometimes you have to draw your favourite shapeshifting bastard ever as an Aspect of Tep.

[8bitsupervillain]

Higurashi When They Cry Hou Ch. 3 Tatarigoroshi pt. 10

Before we get into the real meat of it, I would like to talk briefly about a technical aspect of the GOG release of Higurashi (probably Steam as well). If you are playing the game (reading the visual novel) on two computers and using cloud saves, but don't have the same mods installed across both computers, this can actually bork your saves up.

In Tatarigoroshi part 9 I mentioned briefly how at the start of chapter ten it just has Keiichi mention point blank that he murdered the hell out of Teppei Houjou. I initially thought this was a remarkably quick change of pace from how the rest of the VN had presented facts. It turns out, playing the VN on my desktop computer (my Strong Lad) and not on my laptop as I usually do caused the save to somehow skip over chapter ten entirely. I read roughly an hour or so of chapter nine on my laptop earlier and it deals almost exclusively with how Keiichi executing his plot to kill Teppei Houjou. So I got curious just how much they'd written to extend this part for the console release (the console port got new art, so maybe they wrote a small extra part just for console). When it got to one of the mid-chapter stopping points I decided to see how much was left in the chapter and skipped towards the end. After verifying the chapter was over, I went about my day and eventually decided to check it on my desktop. "I'll read it for a while to see where they decide to converge the paths," I thought and so I read for a while, until I started thinking that something seemed off. This chapter ten seemed awfully different to what I'd just read. So I decided again, to use the skip dialogue until it got to the end of the chapter, where it gave me different TIPS than the ones the one on my laptop gave me. That being said, let's continue.

As you can see, he's becoming slightly more unhinged, considering he now thinks he'll be able to just move on from killing a man.

Bearer, seek seek lest.

I think it's an interesting idea, this notion that he's decided to become a gun for Oyashiro.

In the console remake art is flips very quickly through a handful of the environmental scenes while showing the words that the remake version has there. It's a neat effect, and I curse Nvidia for my recording software not working at this point.

I know that it's just a product of his deeply unwell mind, but I don't really understand why he's decided to project this almost heavenly aura on to the bat Satoshi left behind. Keiichi is treating it like it's a divine holy instrument, and the embodiment of Satoshi's will, when up until twelve hours in-game ago he thought Satoshi was a bum who just cut and run when the going got tough. He's acting like he's inherited the divine sword of justice in an RPG, and not the bat of Kevin the bed wetter who was mid at baseball. Like I said, I know this is a symptom of an unwell mind, but it's just wild to see him completely flip and change opinions on a guy that when you get down to it he knows nothing about.

I think you're gonna have a bad time. Oh yeah, also Keiichi dug the hole he's going to plant a seed of Houjou to see what flowers out of it later.

And so the trap has been sufficiently baited, and Teppei walks unknowingly into his doom.

Bad news Tep, you lost your living perms.

And so begins the murder of one Teppei Houjou by the Coward Keiichi Maebara.

I'm not saying I wanted to see it, but given how the visual novel up to the point has shied away from depictions of murder I'm surprised at how graphic this scene is. You basically get to read all about how Keiichi just splatters this man apart. Whereas in Onikakushi it was just "Mion and Rena got beaten to death with a bat," and left it at that.

"I felt muscular and compact, like corned beef."

And so it ends. Keiichi Maebara beat the life out of Teppei all for the sake of a relationship that a little over a week ago seemed more perfunctory than anything. Also I do find it interesting how he's taken this view that you're allowed a single murder on the night of Watanagashi. It's like a little Purge, a little murder, as a treat.

Sure. Keep telling yourself that buddy.

It's all fun and games until you have to clean up afterwards.

Realistically that's probably how that would play out though. He goes to all the trouble to plot and scheme the murder only to slip fall and drown to death in a swamp. So Keiichi drives the motorcycle the late Tenpenny Houjou had into the swamp, and then begins to have a heart to heart with what he feels is the now at peace spirit of Satoshi.

I know it's not what will happen, but it would be funny if Keiichi goes to all this effort and thinks he's done well for the spirit of Satoshi and Satoko, and he just shows up cause he's back from wherever he ran off to. And it turns out the entire time he was just having off-screen adventures and didn't actually murder anyone. Anyway, shortly after axe-throwing the baseball bat into the swamp Keiichi realizes the problem with committing a night-based murder and finds he doesn't know where he is, or where he left the hole he was going to dump the body in. Which is a pretty amateur mistake to make given all of his plotting and scheming about where, when, and how to do the deed that he forgot the simple truth that it gets dark at night.

[kabutoraiger]

What if: modern ultraman leo

shopping this one around, huh? well i actually do have many many thoughts on the topic so i'll take the opportunity, sure

i agree with tep that it's difficult to imagine on several levels... like you just do not get misery like that in these shows anymore. a heisei leo like 2000-2005 might've been able to get away with it, but reiwa leo would undoubtedly not be able to horribly murder the entire supporting cast. and also probably would not be able to have the dangen relationship be so. um. "fraught," without changing some core aspect of said relationship. and without both of those things it really loses appeal. since that's a lot of what leo is when i immediately think of it. it's dangen weird toxic energy and also everyone dying.

and i think the sfx quality and aesthetics of the 70s add so much to leo, too. the way certain miniature sets have this amateurish diorama look to them. the bright colors and retro screen effects used to depict certain things. like reading a fairytale popup picture book. it creates such a dreamlike mood. leo to me is being inside a dream that's always walking this thin line between idyllic and becoming a total nightmare. and i don't think modern ultra looks bad by any means but it is undeniably so much flatter and less colorful, less daring with the kinds of visuals it puts onscreen. hard to think that it could ever recreate that vibe.

but, man... i do think sometimes about how good it could be to see leo's story aspects redone with modern storytelling sensibilities and continuity and shit. like imagine getting to see gen introspect more about his home, everything he's lost, the loneliness of being one of only two of his kind on the whole planet. getting more insight into what changed dan into this type of person. getting a comprehensible plotline for astra that wasn't just being made up as they went along. getting actual personalities and attachments to the other MAC members so you really feel the impact when they die (or maybe just get nonfatally injured in this case).

tl;dr - i wish modern leo existed, honestly. i don't know if it could be successful by any metric but just to see them try. as a fun challenge to be graded personally by me and the world's 5 other leo scholars

[namesforwriters]

Mythology Inspired Names: Egyptian (masc)

Amun ~ Egyptian, meaning "the hidden one."

A primordial god, Amun is associated with the hiddenness of the universe and the unseen aspects of it. He is also considered at times as the king of the gods. pronunciation: ahh-mun

Anhur ~ Egyptian, meaning "sky bearer."

Anhur is a war god and patron of the army. The personification of royal warriors, Anhur also defended Ra from the evil serpent Apep. pronunciation: ahn-her

Anubis ~ Egyptian, meaning "time," "to swathe," "to decay."

Anubis is the god of funerary rites, protection of the grave, and also acts as the guide for many souls in the Underworld. Also associated with twilight and dawn, Anubis facilitates the weighing of the heart, which determines if a soul will move into the afterlife or be devoured. pronunciation: eh-nuu-bis, ah-nuu-bis

Aqen ~ Egyptian, meaning "trustworthy."

Not much is known of Aqen. He is a god of the Underworld who drove a Meseket (boat) of papyrus that guided souls into the Duat. He sleeps until he is needed, and is the Protector of the Dead. pronunciation: ahh-ken, iah-ken

Ash ~ Egyptian, also called "Lord of Libya."

The god of oases, Ash was particularly associated with Saqqara. He is also known as the protector of the western desert, and of the vinyards on the western Nile delta. pronunciation: ash, ahsh

Baal ~ Egyptian, also spelled "Ba'al."

Originally a Syrian god adopted by Egypt. A minor deity, Baal was associated strongly with storms and fertility, as well as the ownership of land and lordship. pronunciation: bai-ahl, bah-ahl

Bennu ~ Egyptian, meaning "heron," "phoenix."

A deity linked with the sun, rebirth, and creation, Bennu is thought to be the original inspiration for the Ancient Greek myth of the phoenix. pronunciation: ben-noo, bin-noo

Bes ~ Egyptian, meaning "secret," "protection," "warrior."

Usually depicted as a dwarf, Bes is the patron of the household, childbirth, children, and mothers. Generally known for making children laugh with funny faces, and scaring demons away with frightening faces. pronunciation: beh-s, bee-s

Ennead ~ Egyptian, originally Greek meaning "the nine."

The Great Ennead are the nine deities of Ancient Egyptian faith worshipped at the major city of Heliopolis. They are Atum, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys. pronunciation: ehn-nee-id

Geb ~ Egyptian, meaning "earth."

The Ancient Egyptian god of the earth, Geb is the father of snakes and caused earthquakes with his laughter. He's also the one who allows crops to grow. pronunciation: geh-b, keh-b

Hapi ~ Egyptian, meaning "Nile."

Hapi is the (sometimes intersex) god of the Nile. He oversaw its flooding every year which created fertile soil from which crops could grow. pronunciation: hah-pii

Heka ~ Egyptian, meaning "magic," "living magic."

Largely the Egyptian god of magic, he is also associated with medicine. He battled a pair of snakes, which then became the symbol of his power. pronunciation: heh-kah

Horus ~ Egyptian, meaning "falcon," "he who is the day."

God of the sky, justice, and victory, Horus is known for protecting his father, Osiris, who had been killed by Set. Horus would grow to battle Set to avenge his father. pronunciation: hor-us

Imhotep ~ Egyptian, meaning "one who comes in peace."

Largely considered the father of medicine to the Ancient Egyptians, Imhotep brought sleep to those who were sick and suffering. Also the name of an Egyptian chancellor deified after his death. pronunciation: eem-hoh-tep

Khonsu ~ Egyptian, meaning "he who travels."

Largely known as the god of the moon (specifically the new moon), Khonsu also aids in healing and protection from wild animals. It is said he watched over travelers in the night. pronunciation: kh-ohn-suu, kh-on-suu

Maahes ~ Egyptian, meaning "fierce lion," "he who is true beside her."

Maahes is a war god with a lion head. Largely the devourer of the wicked and protector of the innocent, he also came to be associated with storms and darkness. pronunciation: mah-hes, mai-hes

Medjed ~ Egyptian, meaning "the smiter," "strike."

A minor god mentioned in The Book of the Dead, Medjed has a ghostly appearance. He is mostly invisible, but shoots light from his eyes. pronunciation: mah-jed, mahd-jed, meh-jed

Mehen ~ Egyptian, meaning "the coiled one."

Mehen is a serpent who coils around himself and eats his own tail, representing rebirth, the cycle of life, and renewal. He is a shield against the forces of evil. An Ancient Egyptian Ouroboros. pronunciation: mey-hen, mah-hen

Min ~ Egyptian, meaning "monuments."

The god of rain and the eastern desert region, Min protected caravans on their way to the Red Sea. He is also the god of miners and prospectors. pronunciation: mii-n, mih-n, meh-n

Nefertem ~ Egyptian, meaning "beautiful one who closes."

Nefertem is the god of perfume, healing, primordial water, aromatherapy, and rebirth. He is mostly represented with a lotus flower. pronunciation: neh-fur-tehm

Osiris ~ Egyptian, meaning "he of the throne."

Osiris is the Ancient Egyptian god of the dead, resurrection, and the afterlife. His wife is Isis and his son is Horus. Osiris is usually depicted with green skin and is one of the most important gods in the Ancient Egyptian faith. pronunciation: oh-sai-rihs

Ra ~ Egyptian, meaning "sun."

The Ancient Egyptian god of the sun, Ra is also the father of many other deities. Specifically associated with the midday sun, when light is at its highest, Ra is one of the most important Egyptian deities. pronunciation: rah

Ren ~ Egyptian, meaning "name."

The Ancient Egyptians believed there were many parts that made up the soul, one of which was the "ren," or the true name. The true name was essential to a soul maintaining its identity after death. pronunciation: rehn

Sah ~ Egyptian, meaning "Orion," "Orion constellation."

Sah is a god who represents the stars of the Orion and Lepus constellations. In some Old Kingdom texts he is referred to as "the Father of the Gods." pronunciation: sah

Serapis ~ Egyptian, meaning "bull," also spelled "Sarapis."

A Graeco-Egyptian god, Serapis was associated with the city of Alexandria and the library there. He often replaced Osiris as the consort of Isis in the Ptolemaic period. pronunciation: sehr-ah-pihs

Set ~ Egyptian, potentially meaning "overpowering," "to desert." Some Egyptologists believe the true meaning has been lost. Also spelled as "Seth."

Set is the god of violence, storms, disorder, chaos, hostility, and war. Set killed Osiris out of jealousy and is regarded as the betrayer, as well as the balance and foil to Horus. pronunciation: seh-t, seh-th

Shai ~ Egyptian, meaning "fate."

The deification and personification of fate in Ancient Egyptian mythology. Shay has been depicted as both male and female. pronunciation: shah-ee, shy, sh-ai

Shu ~ Egyptian, meaning "he who ascends," "he who rises."

He is the god of wind, air, fog, and clouds. He is considered a calm god and is essential to the perserverance of life by keeping Geb (earth) and Nut (cosmos, sky) apart. pronunciation: sh-oo

Sia ~ Egyptian, meaning "to know," "to perceive," also spelled as "Saa."

The deification of perception, Sia embodies wisdom, insight, and reason. He helps guide the sun over the night into its rebirth at dawn. pronunciation: see-ah, sigh-ah

Sobek ~ Egyptian, also spelled "Sebek."

Sobek is the crocodile-headed god of power and military prowess. He is also associated with fertility and pharaonic power. He was often invoked to help protect against dangers presented by the Nile River. pronunciation: soh-behk

These name lists are intended to help writers and artists. There is no expectation of credit, and these lists aren't meant to be the end-all be-all lists of possible names. There are millions out there, and this is just for fun!

If you have a suggestion for a name list, or want to see something specific, feel free to submit a request!

And if you see something that is wrong (a pronunciation, a meaning, an origin), again, feel free to let me know!

[venillopewrites]

Hi I hope you're well. I was just wondering if there were any new updates you could give us?

If not, what about any non spoilery fun facts for this or your other project?

Actually Idk if you started working on it yet but if so, How's the other project going? All I saw was animals and got excited.

Hello love! I'm doing good, winding down from the summer excitement and preparing my home for my favorite autumn season 🍂 My neighbors are getting increasingly worried about my pumpkin collection.

I do have some minor updates for you! Nothing to warrant an entire post, but small successes are also successes!

For example, the personality aspect of the prologue has passed quick testing! Now every action has an appropriate reaction somewhere in the text, no matter how small. I so enjoy flavor text 💫 (I added like 2k words of flavor text. Oops, but not really)

The naming shenanigans for the Parasite has been fun. There's some easter eggs there, depending on what you decide to name it! (ie. Venom, which no doubt will be popular) Of course all of these aliens from media have faded from human memory between 2023 and 2974, but that won't stop me from writing some general and vaguely snarky responses.

Bonus scene for this week was the very first "death" scene. Not that the MC can die this early in the game, but I'll switch to the Parasite's POV as a lil treat for both you and me 😌 It's very exasperated about the whole ordeal of its human meat bag going *windows shutting down*.

Focusing heavily on the stat page now too, and boy is it fun. There's even (placeholder) graphics! Both literary and numerical relationship stats, yay! Shiba will be the only one who even remotely likes MC in the beginning of the game, the others are either indifferent (Parasite), wary (N.) or downright hostile (E.)

There are a lot of fun tidbits from both games, but let's do TEP for now.

Did you know organized religion no longer exists in 2974? The only thing remaining are obscure records on the intranets and crumbling, forgotten infrastructure hidden deep within the oldest parts of the Pens. Cults though, those you'll find in abundance!

The metropolitan city has a name, but no one really uses it. The three districts (the Aureum, the Hub, and the Pens) are the biggest districts within the city of Arca. There are more, but no one really pays mind to those. Like suburbs that have nothing happening to be honest.

All but four planets (the four exceptions being Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn) in the solar system are inhabited by humans. Mercury is an industrial behemoth, and only houses mines, factories, and factory workers. Venus is a resort planet, but just for the richest of people who can afford it. Very bougie. Mars is a settled planet with similar massive cityscapes as Earth, but they're very much shielded under massive domes. Pluto is a prison. Many moons/natural satellites also have colonies, because humans are too many and need space.

One of those inhabited moons kinda went kablooey in 2430. RIP people who lived on Rhea.

While the future has many great technologies, humans haven't dabbled in android business yet. There are some trials on extinct animals though, but those have all been failures.

Animals only exist in zoos. The planet is too barren and crowded to house any natural animals. Sad, but no one really cares since they don't go outside the city limits on foot anyway.

Oh wee, that was a lot of loredropping, huh? Hope it gives a bit of an insight to the world!

Now the other project is in outlining stages, but I can name drop some NPCs/RO's for you 😉 They're all set in their genders too which will help me with coding.

Anyway, here's them and their respective emojis.

Kit 🐻‍❄️🐧

Olivia 🐬🦈

Dallas 🐊🐍

Mason 🦁🐯

Harper 🦚🦜

Sydney 🩺🐾

Oh, and the villain 💵🏗️, duh.

[regaliasonata]

Been thinking of an episode for season 3 involving maybe a return of evil Benny. Like something also possibly Egyptian based as well cause I did like the aspect of Hottie Ho-tep and the underworld. Who knows maybe another type of independence daze episode with different perspectives of the characters.

And let's add in a crazy magic fight between him and the evil clone. Again just some thoughts but who knows I might go through with it

[muppetjackrackham]

I posted 1,368 times in 2022

That's 1,368 more posts than 2021!

149 posts created (11%)

1,219 posts reblogged (89%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@karamelcoveredolicity

@succsessions

@melis-writes

@bisexualwvtson

@sinistermushrooms

I tagged 1,303 of my posts in 2022

Only 5% of my posts had no tags

#austin butler - 180 posts

#elvis 2022 - 148 posts

#al pacino - 97 posts

#succession - 66 posts

#lion.txt - 54 posts

#answered - 52 posts

#elvis presley - 36 posts

#doctor who - 31 posts

#goncharov - 31 posts

#the godfather - 29 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#whereas the waiter was literally just an accident n the crime had more to do with the fact that kendall fled the scene (in a state of shock)

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

See the full post

55 notes - Posted July 28, 2022

#4

after seeing ash’s response to this post i want to talk for a second about the subject of elvis and impersonation vs portrayal.

elvis impersonators have been around almost as long as elvis himself, with the first impersonator being a man by the name of carl “cheesie” nelson from texarkana who, in 1954 who performed his own renditions of “that’s alright, mama” and “blue moon of kentucky,” and even got to perform onstage alongside elvis that same year. since then, elvis impersonators have been a staple of american pop culture—with a notable presence in las vegas specifically—but it’s not exclusive to america. simply put, ash is right; elvis is one of, if not THE most impersonated pop culture icon in american—and rock n’ roll—history.

there are a few notable portrayals of elvis onscreen: elvis (1979) directed by john carpenter (often touted as the best portrayal of elvis), elvis and nixon (2016), more of a comedy film above all else but still one of the more notable portrayals of elvis in recent years, bubba ho-tep (2002) starring bruce campbell as elvis, the elvis miniseries from 2005 starring jonathan rhys meyers (who bears an uncanny resemblance to elvis) and of course the most recent film starring austin butler, just to name a few. this is not a comprehensive list by any means, but are (to me) the most notable attempts at bringing elvis to the small and silver screen respectively. i can’t speak to every portrayal of elvis ever that exists in media (and i haven’t seen elvis and nixon in a very long time) but i can speak to austin butler, kurt russell and jonathan rhys meyer’s portrayals in particular when it comes to just the performance aspect of elvis, which is where immitation vs portrayal really comes into play for me.

JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS

by all accounts and purposes, jonathan rhys meyers was practically tailor made to play elvis presley

i mean honestly.

unfortunately i made the mistake of watching the miniseries after i had already seen austin butler’s performance and it was. not good lmao. i think for the time it was quite good, but it very much comes across as someone trying to imitate elvis versus actually inhabiting him as a person and making him come alive (also as an aside i know we tend to clown on tom hanks for his portrayal of the colonel because of how he sounds but at least he’s not boring lmao. if randy quaid’s version is more accurate then this is really gonna bite me in the ass but my god no one can ever accuse tom hanks of being boring in elvis 2022), particularly when he’s dancing. there was such a fluidity to the way elvis moved and it comes off very disjointed by comparison.

KURT RUSSELL

See the full post

56 notes - Posted August 4, 2022

#3

this is my one (1) contribution to the iwtv fandom

70 notes - Posted November 8, 2022

#2

See the full post

101 notes - Posted August 10, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

tom sturridge could do edward cullen and robert pattinson could do morpheus 

168 notes - Posted August 7, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[managementconsultingnc]

Engineering Firms Thriving in Raleigh, NC

Raleigh, North Carolina, often referred to as the “City of Oaks,” is a vibrant hub for technology, innovation, and business. As the state capital and engineering companies in Raleigh NC boasts a robust economy, a highly educated workforce, and a favorable business climate. Within this dynamic environment, several engineering firms have established themselves and contribute significantly to the city’s growth and development.

1. The Wooten Company

Founded in 1936, The Wooten Company has deep roots in North Carolina. With its headquarters in Raleigh, the firm provides comprehensive engineering, planning, and design services. Their expertise spans transportation, water resources, environmental engineering, and land development. The Wooten Company collaborates with public agencies, private developers, and community organizations to create sustainable solutions that enhance the quality of life for residents.

2. Stonewall Structural Engineering, PLLC

Stonewall Structural Engineering specializes in structural design and inspection services. Their team of skilled engineers works on a wide range of projects, including commercial buildings, residential structures, and historic renovations. Whether it’s designing a new office tower or assessing the stability of an existing bridge, Stonewall ensures safety, functionality, and aesthetic appeal.

3. Tower Engineering Professionals

As the demand for telecommunications infrastructure grows, Tower Engineering Professionals (TEP) plays a crucial role. TEP focuses on the design, analysis, and construction of communication towers, rooftop installations, and distributed antenna systems. Their engineers collaborate with wireless carriers, tower owners, and municipalities to improve connectivity and expand network coverage across Raleigh and beyond.

4. Wetherill Engineering Inc

Wetherill Engineering specializes in transportation planning, roadway design, and bridge engineering. Their team works closely with local and state agencies to improve transportation networks, reduce congestion, and enhance safety. From designing efficient intersections to rehabilitating aging bridges, Wetherill contributes to Raleigh’s mobility and accessibility.

5. Kimley-Horn and Associates

While Kimley-Horn is a national firm, its Raleigh office has a significant impact on the local community. Known for its expertise in civil engineering, land development, and environmental planning, Kimley-Horn collaborates with developers, municipalities, and private clients. Their innovative solutions address urban challenges, such as stormwater management, sustainable site design, and smart growth.

Raleigh, North Carolina, a city known for its vibrant economy and rapid growth, hosts several reputable construction management companies. These firms play a crucial role in overseeing projects, ensuring quality, and delivering successful outcomes. Let’s explore some of the notable construction management companies near me

1. Clancy & Thays Construction

Since 1949, Clancy & Theys has maintained a legacy of excellence in the construction industry. Known for their high standards, collaborative spirit, and innovative use of technology, they offer a wide range of services. From commercial building projects to virtual design and construction, Clancy & Theys has left a significant mark on the Southeastern region.

2. Local Property Management Companies

While not exclusively focused on construction management, local property management companies often collaborate with builders and developers. They handle property maintenance, tenant relations, and financial aspects, contributing to the overall success of real estate projects in Raleigh. Some of the best property management companies in the area can be found through local directories and online platforms.

3. Other Construction Management Firms

Beyond Clancy & Theys, Raleigh hosts several other construction management firms. These companies provide services to owners, developers, banks, attorneys, hospitals, contractors, and insurers on a national basis. Their expertise spans various sectors, including healthcare, hospitality, industrial, and retail. While I don’t have specific names, exploring local directories and industry associations can help you discover additional firms.

Conclusion

Construction management companies in Raleigh, NC are essential contributors to the city’s growth and development. Their commitment to excellence, safety, and collaboration ensures that projects are completed efficiently and to the highest standards. Whether you’re a developer, property owner, or investor, these firms play a vital role in shaping Raleigh’s built environment.

[dragonsfell]

yassarra lore.

PORT NYANZARU / While we generally reject Yuan-ti lore (for obvious Yassarra reasons), most of Chult races actually, and how evil races are treated in Faerun lore; the way that Port Nyanzaru of Chult is described is wonderful, here's the little pre-written opening speech for DMs to read from Tomb of Annihilation

You appear in a tropical city under the blazing sun. The familiar sounds of a harbor — creaking ropes, slapping waves, heavy barrels rolling across cobblestones — mingle with voices shouting and cursing in an unfamiliar language filled with clicks, inhalations, and singsongy words that make it sound almost musical. The aroma of unfamiliar spices and tropical fruit mixes with the wharfside smells of fish, tar, and canvas. Beyond all that, Port Nyanzaru is an explosion of color. Buildings are painted in bright shades of blue, green, orange, and salmon pink, or their walls are adorned with murals portraying giant reptiles and mythical heroes. Every building sports baskets and clay urns of colorful flowers or is draped in leafy, flowering vines. Minstrels in bright clothing adorned with feathers and shells perform on street corners. Multicolored pennants and sun awnings flutter atop the city walls. A crowd of children dressed in feathered hats and capes races past you, squealing in delighted terror as a street performer costumed as a big-toothed lizard stomps and roars behind them. The whole city seems to be bustling, sweating, laughing, swearing, and singing.

the rest of Port Nyanzaru's descriptions are under the cut.

Port Nyanzaru hugs the coastline at the south end of the Bay of Chult. No other city exists in Chult, along the coast or anywhere else, except in ruins or overrun by monstrous creatures. Until recently, Port Nyanzaru was under the firm control of Amn, a foreign nation. Amn was forced to relinquish the city to a wealthy and powerful consortium of Chultan traders backed by the Ytepka Society (pronounced yeh-TEP-kah), or risk a bloody conflict that probably would have ended with the city winning its independence anyway. Seven Chultan traders have since grown into influential merchant princes, enticing folk from up and down the Sword Coast with their wares.

Port Nyanzaru is a bastion of civilization and commerce in a terrifying land. The amount of business that unfolds here and the cash that moves through its counting houses would make any merchant of Baldur’s Gate or Waterdeep jealous. It’s also a colorful, musical, aroma-filled, vibrant city in its own right. Other than trade, the biggest attractions are the weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Locals and visitors alike wager princely sums on the races’ outcomes. The city also boasts grand bazaars, glorious mansions and temples, circuses, and gladiatorial contests.

Enemies surround Port Nyanzaru on all sides. The jungle teems with ferocious reptiles and murderous undead, pirates prowl the surrounding sea, and the mouth of the bay is home to a greedy dragon turtle.

When describing the sights and sounds of Port Nyanzaru, emphasize the heat, the humidity, the exotic sounds and smells, and other unique aspects of Port Nyanzaru. Some of its notable features are described hereafter:

Medium and Large dinosaurs are used as beasts of burden to haul two-wheeled carts, to hoist heavy loads on cranes, and to tow boats along the canals.

Dinosaurs compete in weekly races through the streets. These brightly painted racing dinosaurs are fast, vicious, and barely under their riders’ control.

Flowers, green plants, and vines grow everywhere, seeming to spring out of the building stones themselves. The profusion of greenery needs constant tending to prevent roots and shoots from damaging buildings or tile roofs.

The city’s defensive walls and towers are topped with colorful awnings to shield guards from the sun and rain.

All streets within the city walls are paved with cobblestones or flagstones, and they have deep rain gutters as much as 2 feet wide. Residents of Port Nyanzaru pay little attention to any but the heaviest deluge.

Tabaxi minstrels wander the streets, performing for anyone who tosses them a few coins.

Walls divide the city into districts, and the open archways above the streets are painted with murals of dinosaurs, mountains, and mythic heroes.

Crumbling ancient buildings covered with vines and lichens indicate the city’s great age.

The ground floors of most buildings are made of stucco-covered stone and have tiny windows to keep out the heat at street level. The upper floors have bamboo or thatch walls with enormous windows to let in the breeze, under broad thatched or tiled eaves. All buildings are richly decorated with paint, ivy, and vivid flowers. Some are painted in symmetrical, geometric patterns of straight lines and sharp angles, while others portray animals, monsters, landscapes, and heroes in a stylized manner unique to Chult. Where space permits, buildings traditionally include a walled yard or garden.

All the city’s water comes from rain, so every building has a cistern or wooden barrels to catch water running off the roof. Every public square is built around a fountain or rain basin. With so much water running downhill, Chultans also make excellent use of water-driven mechanical gadgets. Many buildings have water wheels built into their cisterns. Rainwater running through spouts or channels turns the wheel, which pumps water into pools, turns millstones, powers bellows or lathes or saws, or accomplishes any other labor-saving or amusing task Chultan engineers can dream up.

[properyingurgaon]

tep into a world of refinement and distinction at Elan The Mark, where excellence meets luxury. This iconic development is designed to set new standards in modern living, offering an array of meticulously crafted spaces and an unparalleled array of amenities. Every aspect of Elan The Mark is meticulously curated to leave a lasting impression, from the elegant architecture to the thoughtfully designed interiors. Discover a lifestyle that embodies sophistication and comfort in this extraordinary residential destination. Elan The Mark is not just a place to live; it's a mark of your exquisite taste and aspirations.

[superat626]

Found in a forgotten Journal: Entry 5 “...Found the man Rogers was talking about. I was regaled with a story of what appeared to be moving ripples in the night sky showcasing fantastical scenes of supposedly deep space. I would have marked the story as a mere fictional thing but the depiction of what I believe was the Veil Nebula tickled a distant memory of another similar sounding story I had read about in grandfather’s old books...”

[600shekels]

2 Chronicles 29: 32-36. "The Fish."

This section illustrates what is called Yahnatan, "the transformation" which takes place after the various sacrifices:

32 The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the Lord. 

Seventy Bulls= Sacrifices to the 70 gods called the Clans of Israel. To explain this in detail here would be a mess, but I have listed them under separate cover, in Vayigash.

A Hundred Rams="Kosher fish" after they have been sacrificed, Ramboys acquire the "scales" or sounder judgement, the evidenc of which can be seen via the presence of the "scales" of the Ephod, the 12 Noble Skills.

Fish also have fins meaning they reside deeper under the body of water of knowledge than bottom feeders without scales or fins.

[from the Gematria of 543, הדג‎]

Two Hundrend Male Lambs= lambs that are sacrificed join the "brotherhood of the climbers." Climbing and climbers are essential to the practices of Judaism, which require a steep gradient of knowledge and effort.

[from the Gematria of 1590, א‎הט‎אֶפֶס, "ahteps", where ah= brother, teps,= tepes, "a hill, a top, hill, apex or vertex".]

33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats. 

600 bulls= The High, Fertile Ground, also the Cistern on High.

Cisterns are persons who can handle themselves. Broken cisterns or bulls cannot handle themselves:

Whoever is false to the holy imprint cleaves to that aspect of "broken cisterns, that can hold no water," because it does not flow in there. [No blessings are drawn to there.] Whoever merits to guard it [and protect the sign of the Covenant] merits to be watered by the stream of the river in the World to Come [meaning receives the flow of light from bina]and merits that the supernal well will be filled [that in his merit malchut is filled with the flow from bina]and blessings will be drawn above and below [in all the worlds]. He is meritorious in this world and in the World to Come. Of this it is written, "and you shall be like a watered garden [malchut], and like a spring of water [yesod of ZeirAnpin], whose waters fail not" [as they receive the flow from bina]. (Isaiah 58:11)

[Gematria of 332, גגב‎, gegev, where ge= fertile, gev, high, parallel with a mountain or a cistern]

3,000 sheep and goats= The slaughter of these yields Mo'a the Water of God. This likely refers to the wells Jacob uncapped by rolling back the stone to water his father in law's sheep. Each time, the sheep became whiter.

[Gematria of 461, 40+6+1, מוא‎, moa]

34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their relatives the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 

35 There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings.

So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. 

36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.

The Gematria for this section "the service of the Lord" is 12568. אבהוח‎‎. abhoh, ‎ab= father, hoh="I exclaim that which I might be..."

It implies along with the priests and Levites who worked together to skin the burnt offerings we are mortal, we don't complete our tasks of being what we are meant to be in time. That is impossible. All we can do, as the sage said, is be passionate about being happy in all the right ways.

To do this alone is sad and tragic, to do it in the company of others who are burning up alongside oneself, and do it as fast as possible is to understand how God wants us, as Jews, to live.

[ndando-musings]

Tolkien Experience Podcast, #39

It was a true delight talking with Sarah on the Tolkien Experience Podcast this week.

…but I was flattered anyone was interested in my insights into online Tolkien fandom, something I’ve been in and out of—with varying degrees of activity—since I was a wee lass in about 2002! This was also the first time I’ve ever really had the opportunity to talk “aloud” about my personal and academic interests in Tolkien, so that was also an excellent experience for me. I have enjoyed this podcast as a listener for a few months now, and to be on the same podcast that many other fans and artists and scholars I respect have been on made me feel like an imposter was very special. The work TEP is doing in highlighting all the fascinating aspects of both fandom and scholarship--and the points at which they merge!--is such a wonderful thing...

You can listen to the episode embedded below or by choosing your favorite podcast service here!

https://youtu.be/e0yZUX0p4cY

In this episode, Sarah and I talked about how I got into Tolkien and my fixation on trauma exposure and tragedy; how fanfiction can act as a doorway to scholarship; and choices we can make in fandom to make it a healthy and welcoming place, especially with the upcoming Amazon series and a potential new influx of fans. My only real regret is that I didn’t talk more about…

Or gays. Wildly out of character for me, really.

Alas.

Anyway, please consider giving this episode a listen!  Also, I expect following the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, or giving them a review if you like it, is appreciated by the podcasters, too.

[yel-halansu]

Vulcan polytheism

Vulcans, in spite of priding themselves on their logic, are also very invested in preserving their ancient traditions, and religion is no exception to this. Dating back to pre-Surakian times, Vulcan religion recognizes multiple deities and spirits of nature that populate the different areas of oT'Khasi. The beliefs of Vulcan religion are not shared exactly by every individual Vulcan, with some gods being worshiped exclusively in certain areas or social groups, and some Vulcans choose to not practice any religion at all.

It is worth noting that even though Surak has an immense influence in Vulcan culture and possessed many traits that could be considered messianic, he is not worshiped as a god. Spiritual practices connected to Surakian teachings, such as meditation, are non-theistic in nature.

Most of the practices of Vulcan religion take place away from the prying eyes of outworlders, however, we do have information about the main deities and spirits that populate its pantheon and legends:

T'Vet: a warrior goddess, still worshipped in some communities in Vulcan in spite of the prevalent pacifist philosophy of Surakian teachings.

Shariel: god of death, who lived in mount Tar’hana, where he spewed lava to terrify the Vulcans into submission. Legends say that he wielded the Pillar of T’Klass as a weapon to battle the other gods in defense of Sha Ka Ree.

Khosarr: god of war and consort of the goddess Akraana.

Akraana: goddess and wife of Khosarr. It is unclear what she presided over, but it is known that in ancient times her followers excluded themselves from the rest of Vulcan society and lived in self-sufficient colonies in the area of T’paal.

Natara: god of water.

Reah: ancient goddess of the underworld, of death, and bereavement.

Ny'one and T'Priah: god and goddess of fertility, respectively: joined forever in a mystical union.

We also have records of a goddess of the sun, who is said to be woken every morning by her twin sons, and who was worshiped by a sect called Krah-jehl at the temple of T’rinsha; as well as other gods of peace and war who appear depicted in the Stone of Gol.

Some of the nature spirits of Vulcan legend include:

Rushan: Air spirits.

Gratan: Desert spirits.

Fletan: Water spirits that inhabit certain oases.

Giidas: Guardian spirits.

Sirshos'im: Fire spirits that attract lost desert travelers to devour their souls.

In addition to the wider pantheon, Vulcan religion also recognizes a small group of five figures known as the Ka-ta-pak or Inner Chorus. These are personifications of the strong emotions that can grip the Vulcan heart and lead to destruction if allowed to run unchecked, and different schools of meditation teach how to deal with them in different ways. Each of them has a joyful aspect and a wrathful aspect, symbolizing how emotions can become destructive if not dealt with appropriately:

Tel-alep: also known as the Watcher, he represents curiosity. He is an old Vulcan chained to a great book that contains all the knowledge in the world. His counterpart is Alep-tel, the Bitter, who is jaded by all the experience he has accrued and eager to give advice tainted with cynicism and futility.

Kir-alep: represents peace and acceptance. Its counterpart is Alep-kir, the Sullen, who represents apathy and pessimism. It is represented as the heat of the high desert that drains the energy from the body.

Valdena: the personification of love, joy and beauty. She is portrayed as an athletic maiden dancing between the clouds. Her counterpart is Dena-vel, the Covetous. She traps the things she loves so that only she may enjoy their beauty, and, at the slightest sign of betrayal, she turns into an a'lazb (a Vulcan creature similar to a Terran spider) and drinks the blood of the object of her affection until they're dead.

Kal-ap-ton: represents grief. Usually depicted as a tall, gaunt young man in mourning attire who carries a small pouch full of tears. His counterpart is Tyr-al-tep, the Unforgiver, who makes Vulcans forget about what is and brood only on the possibilities of what might have been. He personifies the inability to let go of the past, and is said to voice any deep regrets that a particular Vulcan may have by whispering into the ears.

Ket-cheleb: also known as the Destroyer and the Blood-Drinker. He is the only figure in the Ka-ta-pak who does not have a joyful counterpart, as he is said to have killed him long ago and hung him on a great tree in the center of the world. He is thought to be the most dangerous, as the Vulcan mind is easily seduced by his cries, and it requires willpower to keep him at bay.

Vulcan polytheism is also the source of many myths, like the famous legend of Sha Ka Ree or the Great Oasis, a paradise at the center of all creation. Much like some cultures on Earth, Vulcans associated certain deities to the planets in their solar system and the constellations they could see in the night sky.

I leave you with this video, a beautiful legend about T'Kai, a trickster figure in Vulcan mythology.

Sources: Memory Beta, Memory Alpha, TAS, VOY, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Orion Press Lexicon, The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans, Hidden Universe Travel Guides: Star Trek: Vulcan, VLD, Kathleen Reynolds' Youtube Channel.

[greenvelvetbooks]

The Lucky Ones by Kiersten Modglin - Review.

They were supposed to die. Five years ago, the residents of the Gerbera subdivision in the small town of Fallen Oaks were brutally murdered in their beds. The only survivors, now called The Fallen Oaks Five, were children—practically strangers at the time, forever connected by the weight of all they witnessed. Now grown, the anniversary of their families’ deaths approaches, and the Fallen Oaks Five receive letters of warning: the killers are still out there and they aren’t finished with them.

Thanks NetGalley and OrangeSky audio for this copy.

My ideas for this book are scattered. We start with the characters who are both deep and shallow at the same time; meaning that on one hand it's very developed the ptsd and the psychological aspects of the trauma they went through but still empty enough to not really know them outside it. Maybe it was the intent of showing how traumatic events can consume you completely. But I'm not sure.

I've read it on audiobook, it's fast and approachable. The narrator does a great job. It's not very long even though it took me a while to get a hold on it, was it because of the subject that may make me blue or that it's just wasn't as captivating as I expected.

Although enjoyable it left no impact on me whatsoever.

2.5/5

Maria Lourdes.

------------ En Español -----------------

Se suponía que iban a morir. Hace cinco años, los residentes de la subdivisión de Gerbera en el pequeño pueblo de Fallen Oaks fueron brutalmente asesinados en sus camas. Los únicos sobrevivientes, ahora llamados The Fallen Oaks Five, eran niños, prácticamente extraños en ese momento, conectados para siempre por el peso de todo lo que presenciaron. Ahora que son adultos, se acerca el aniversario de la muerte de sus familias, y los Fallen Oaks Five reciben cartas de advertencia: los asesinos todavía andan por ahí y no han terminado con ellos.

Gracias Net Galley y OrangeSky audio por la copia de este libro.

Mis ideas para este libro están dispersas. Empezamos con los personajes que son a la vez profundos y superficiales; lo que quiero decir es que, por un lado, están muy desarrollados sus teps y los aspectos psicológicos del trauma por el que pasaron, pero aún están lo suficientemente vacíos como para no conocerlos realmente fuera de él. Tal vez fue la intención de mostrar cómo los eventos traumáticos pueden consumirte por completo. Pero no estoy seguro.

Lo he leído en audiolibro, es rápido y accesible. El narrador hace un gran trabajo. No es muy largo a pesar de que me tomó un tiempo conseguirlo, ¿fue por el tema que puede ponerme triste o porque simplemente no fue tan cautivador como esperaba?

Aunque agradable, no me dejó ningún impacto en absoluto.

2.5/5

María Lourdes.

[hela-avenger]

poison & wine- part 22

Author: hela-avenger

Word Count: 1024

Summary: Prince Loki of Asgard is in need of a date to take back home. That’s where you come in with a task of your own to make the whole trip with an insufferable prince worth it. Too bad that things don’t always go as planned and you end up giving more than you can take. Fake-Dating AU.

A/N: Gotta love the drama that’s building up. Reach out to me if you’ll like to be tagged!

poison & wine masterlist

The doors of Loki’s bedroom slam closed the moment you two are alone. Things begin to fly out of the shelves and break onto the floors while Loki paces across the room. You manage to avoid the flying debris and have no other choice but to watch Loki unravel. 

He’s angry. No, he’s furious. 

Loki’s chest is rising at a rapid speed as if his anger was too much for his own body. His hands are ringing, shaking, and you are quick to take them into your own. 

His hands still in your hold and his anger quickly disappears. 

“We need to call this off.” 

Loki pulls his hands away from yours and resumes his pacing. The anger was gone, replaced by pure defeat.  

“What?” you ask in alarm. “We can’t. No, Loki, we can’t.” 

Loki doesn’t pay you any mind. 

“If Odin wants to put me in the ring then so be it. What’s so wrong about it?” 

“This is no ordinary fight ring,” Loki snaps. “The beast we are to face is reckless and brutal. It will show no mercy.” 

“I’ve been to war,” you remind him. “I’ve been through the worst imaginable.” 

“You have never faced a bilgesnipe before,” Loki exclaims. “That is the beast Odin wants us to face. The only time I’ve ever defeated one was with Thor and he had Mjolnir. Even then, we didn’t kill it. The beast wandered off.” 

That detail alarmed you but you were not one to lose hope. Odin would never risk your life in such a manner. Especially as he was still under the assumption that you were a mortal and the ambassador for Midgard.

“Odin is still looking past our lie,” Loki explains. “This is his attempt to make us yield into telling him the truth.” 

“Just because we almost got caught tonight doesn’t mean we should give up already,” you argue. “He laid a trap and we fell for it but now we know better. We know that one or all of my handmaidens is acting as a spy for your father. We know that the only people we can trust right now are in this room. And we know that we have to step up our game if we want to convince him. This tournament can be the solution. This is not over yet.” 

“It is already over,” Loki snaps. “Odin has placed your own life in danger. He does not care if you survive this or not and I made a vow to protect you. This lie we’ve told is no longer safe for you.” 

“I don’t care,” you answer. “I’m not ready to give up yet and neither should you.” 

“I can’t protect you from the beast.” 

“I don’t need you to protect me. I need you to fight. Fight the beast, fight against your father...” you say as you stand in front of him. “I’m not afraid for what’s to come because whatever we are up against, I know you can defeat it. I trust that you can.” 

Loki was growing more convinced that you had indeed lost your mind. This hope you had for him was wrongly placed. He didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve your hope or you trust. He was the reason you were in this mess in the first place. 

Loki had spoken the truth about the man who called himself his father. He had displayed a weakness for you and now Odin was using it to his advantage. Odin had placed you into the line of fire hoping that it would submit Loki down into his control.

“Stop doubting yourself, Loki,” you whisper to him. “I know you can beat this bilgesnipe.” 

“Why?” Loki asks, confused. “Why place your hopes on me?” 

“Because you’re my friend,” you answer sincerely. “Also because your dad is really being an ass and I am not willing to let this stupid tournament be the reason he wins.” 

Loki chuckles at this and you find his old self returning. You smile and take a step away from him allowing yourself a chance to breathe. You had been tense this whole time but seeing Loki finally calm down allowed you to do the same. 

“But most importantly, we made a deal, Loki,” you remind him. “If you don’t get what you want, then neither do I.” 

Loki clears his throat and nods. He should have remembered that you had your own stake in the lie you committed yourself to. 

“One wrong move on my part and you will die.” 

“Then no wrong moves shall be made.” 

Loki sighs annoyed by your stubbornness but you don’t allow him to sneak a word in. 

“Teach me how to fight,” you resolve. “Teach me how to use my magic!” 

Loki shakes his head. 

“We don’t even know if you can cast a spell.”

“We have to at least try,” you try to convince him. “Your mother thinks it's possible for me to learn, so teach me, Loki.”  

Loki takes a deep breath and knew that the chaos you brought could work. All he had to do was manage it. 

Though your plan was a last ditch effort, Loki knew that it was their only saving grace. It would give you an advantage but one he hoped wouldn’t have to be needed. 

“If you were to use your magic successfully, your secret would be out. “ 

“Then it is a risk we might have to take,” you respond. “All of this is a risk, Loki, but I trust that you’ll be able to hold your own that I won’t have to.” 

From your stance alone, Loki could tell that you were as determined as ever. There was no way he could convince you out of doing this match. You were stubborn and chaotic and too willing to place your hope in him. 

You were a wild flame. 

Uncontrollable and bright. 

If he could control that aspect of you, you could be dangerous. Endless and fierce that would burn whoever came against you.  

It was beautiful and Loki hated how much it pleased him to see it. 

“We’ll start our training tomorrow.”

poison & wine tag: @damalseer @just-the-hiddles @jessiejunebug @nonsensicalobsessions @smollest-soybean @assassinoftheworld @readerbandit @doyoufeelikeayounggod @strangemcuvlogs @ha-tep @i-dont-know-eiither @gene-king @day-dreaming-fox @bn-studies @is-it-madness @devilbat @victor-criss-bish @skinny-macncheese @musicconversedance @baby-bunnyxn @fandoms-allovertheplace @marvelloonie @jinxjinxednova @queenmuahaha @accio-boys @eternalqueensworld @umlvk @roger-the-reindeer @punkrockhufflefluff @your-local-abyss @horsesandwolvesaremyanimals​

Loki Tag: @unicorniorosacomefrutillas @thesilentbluesparrow @oddly-drawn-muse @josiehosiedaninja @hp-hogwartsexpress @sadwaywardkid @wolf-lover74 @sizzlingbarbarianglitter @sigyn-njorddottir

All Works Tag: @jmb959 @astudyoftimeywimeystuff @hellocookiecutter @steve-rogers-personal-hell @buckybarnesyard @not-zari-tak @strangersstranger @thefridgeismybestie