#Entity formation guide

[robboyblunder]

As promised I went ahead and continued my "ghoul guide" with a part 2 (part one linked in replies)! This one covers stuff specifically with a made up lore guide of in-world ghoul stuff as if they were a sort of unique magic entity.

This one wound up way longer and had to be split so expect a third final one eventually lmao. for now though... I'm gonna take a break and yell. Bonus extra info plus the transcript under the cut!

ID in ALT text!

Bonus note: While not portrayed in the guide, it’s important to know a detail about ghouls’ origin called “memory echoes”. While ghouls are formed from humans past who lose all memory of their previous self while maintaining an assumed personality from before, at times certain instances of events, actions, items, and otherwise can trigger these “echoes”. Echoes are very rare, but a valued treasure to ghouls; they make them feel more connected to their past and more “human”. Upon triggering an echo, a ghoul will become completely listless, unable to respond or react until the echo has completed, usually within seconds.

“Memory echoes” are described as blurry faded memories that often show featureless shapes and colors, but a very strong “feeling” of a Deja-vu of the moment. They feel viscerally real and can have a mix of the senses i.e. touch and smell, but produce no recognizable faces or imagery of the self. No ghoul has ever reported fully remembering one, nor any semblance of their true past beyond the haunting leftovers.

Begin Transcript:

A Compendium of Hell’s Derivates

While there are many theories on the demonic nature of ghouls,

The true source is surprisingly Human.

Souls cannot be recreated; rather, they’re Recycled and Reborn

The cycle of ghoul creation started for unknown reasons…

But one thing is Certain:

Natural forces do not change easily.

Raw elements collide with the fuel of life itself until one connects

by His command

A violent injection of pure elemental magic

Rewrites and erases all memory and one’s past, drastically altering the soul…

These new powers lend to the powerful allies of the ministry,

However….

… new powers are a dangerous toy.

While coined as “Feral”, new ghouls would better be designated “Raw”, “Unbound”, and “Lawlessly Dangerous”

First formed, they are still elements;

Torrential, Aimless,

Incapable of coherent thought or rules

-but with time, coherence returns to the individual

Who grows much like a life cycle’s stages without necessarily aging.

The overall cycle is the same per ghoul, yet varied enough each rises differently…

First form: “Raw” – Second form (1): “Feral” – Second form (2) – Third form: “Stabilized”

Catalyst, violent, poor formation – Unaware, wild, chaotic – Conscious; can act like oneself; less raw – fully formed and recognizable

The first form, “Raw”, is notably so violent the devil himself does not release them until stage two.

The second form in stage one of a “Feral” ghoul is much like the forces of nature; free willed and wild, understanding minimal speech.

Take caution: they can be mischievous and cause decent damage.

In the second stage of a “Feral” ghoul, they behave like typical people; however, they’re still very free and may choose to never fully stabilize.

Note: you can tell they’ve reached this stage by presence of a tail and civil habits.

If desired, a ghoul reaches the final form: “Stabilized”. They’re transformed into a stable humanoid body, a form less powerful but safer.

Note: Talented ghouls can change form at will in this stage between secondary Feral and Stable.

When it comes to location, each form is most likely to be found:

Raw: Hell, contained

Feral (Stage 1): wilds/natural areas

Feral (Stage 2): wilds and civil areas

Stabilized: anywhere people go

Seeing feral ghouls is not uncommon, and can even be considered lucky!

They tend to provide free protection to keep their home

Ghouls can only stabilize via ministry ritual;

One can assume they’re ministry members if stable, even off duty.

Ghouls are uncommon, but found most places if looked for;

This seems especially true near ministry placements.

Ghouls only form from adults and don’t “age” traditionally, yet they’re still mortal

Deceased ghouls do not seem to return or recycle.

Summoning intentionally pulls only second stage feral ghouls or stable ghouls from anywhere,

They don’t always like this however (see other guide).

The cycle of ghouls serves a main purpose – as forces for the Dark One, in return for rebirth

However, there are two channels through which they serve.

1) Natural defense against corrupted holy magic

Non-stable ghouls defend at will naturally where they live

2) training to fight, protect, and uphold the ministry’s efforts in the name of the Devil.

Contrary to belief, summonings cannot grab from “nothing”;

Like the creation of a ghoul,

Their element, once developed, is what becomes pulled by nature

The force of such pull is incredible,

A disorientating test of will so great…

…it can render even the most sound minds rather violent.

This is why while some choose to stabilize, others may not;

But should a mind change, they can be freed or re-summoned.

Alternative to wild summoning, one can summon from trained ghouls over feral;

Many ghouls are trained for ministry positions all over, but any can be summoned if unassigned.

Though stabilized, unassigned ghouls are not contractually bound to anyone until assigned.

They’re great for extra work hands and being able to know what kind of team mates you’ll get without leaving it to chance.

Summoning any ghoul however reverts them to feral form, and the challenge to tame them remains the same.

Just because you know a ghoul does not mean an easy summon.

Finally, be warned: forcing unwanted breaking or upholding of a summoning contract

Will have dire consequences.

Aside from rarity of an element, there are “power classes” within each element.

Tiers:

Rarity of an element does not equal strength.

The break down is as follows:

Rare – extreme and dangerous power. These ghouls earn a specialized title.

Quite strong, stand out in their class and very sought after.

Most common tier; average and decent powers that are expectable.

Weak powers, but some uses are applicable.

Uncommon – ghouls who possess little to no powers. Ghouls in this tier may at times suddenly change power tier without warning to any other category.

S-Tier ghouls are quite rare and a sight to behold- truly, they embody nature’s power.

End transcript.

[sunderwight]

PIDW but it's a game.

You play as Luo Binghe, the lowliest disciple of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect's Qing Jing Peak. The first part of the game proceeds more or less like a semi-normal fantasy dating sim -- Luo Binghe is bullied and downtrodden, but can seek help and opportunities to build relationships with various female characters, like Ning Yingying and Liu Mingyan. The game's interface implies a truly staggering number of potential romance candidates to unlock, however, so it makes sense that the first part in your disciple years doesn't get you very far in any of the routes.

But then for the second part, things start to shift. You get an option that seems to amount to asking whether you want to make things better for Luo Binghe or not. When you click the obvious choice, that you do, your previously cold and ruthless shizun seems to go through an inexplicable change of heart. You get a weird kind of fanservice-y scene featuring him during the Skinner Demon Mission. Then he features extremely heavily in the Demon Invasion Mission, only to turn up as your companion in the Dream Demon Mission.

After that, it seems like you've gotten onto his route, somehow? Why does the scummy male teacher even have a route in a game like this, though? You try to check for player guides but you can't seem to find any. You try reloading older saves and making other selections, but no matter what you choose, you end up finishing the Dream Demon Mission by moving into Shen Qingqiu's house, and the routes for Liu Mingyan and Ning Yingying and the briefly-encountered Sha Hualing are all greyed out.

But maybe that just means they're inaccessible for advancement for now, or something. And a lot of games have plot points that are on rails, and you can see where Luo Binghe actually getting a place to live would be one of those things. The format of the game changes as well, going from a relatively loose sequence of scenes and interactions to a daily management style, where you have tasks to complete (make shizun breakfast, go to morning lessons, cultivate, do chores, etc) and only a set number of hours in which to complete them. You have affection points, but any time you try to spend them on anyone other than Shen Qingqiu you get an error message. There are dialogue options for flirting with other characters, but they're always greyed out and impossible to select.

Still, you can unlock scenes. A lot of them are just long slow shots of Shen Qingqiu doing things, like reading, or lecturing, or eating. You get missions, and sometimes you meet female characters who seem to unlock new possible romance paths, even though they're still constantly greyed out. Maybe this part of the game's just especially on rails? Waiting for the actual harem-building segment? You kind of like a lot of aspects of it anyway, though. Luo Binghe is an especially compelling character, not at all like the usual sort of non-entity placeholder main guys in games like this. He definitely has personality.

But then you get to the third part. The Abyss. Shen Qingqiu pushes Luo Binghe in, and suddenly you're wondering if you've somehow reached a bad end. You were saving up some of those affection points for later, maybe you should have spent them all on him? Was there something you did wrong to make this happen? You're not even sure why he's thrown poor Binghe away, he was cold and cryptic about it, and now you're wondering if all the time you spent distracted by other things was time you should have spent farming a better relationship with him. You can't help but wonder where you went astray, because Luo Binghe will not stop wondering about it, and wondering about it in ways that make you feel oddly like he is accusing you, the player, of making the wrong choices... but in a way that could still plausibly be aimed at himself, as a character. You feel bad. You kind of want to restart, but you also can't bring yourself to abandon Luo Binghe. You have to see this through, to help him make it to the other side.

Regardless, the Endless Abyss seems like it must be an inevitable plot development. A lot of the game shifts to account for it. There's even an option to essentially select this "thought" from Luo Binghe's internal diatribe, that this is inevitable, and it seems to turn off the litany of recriminations for a while, although sometimes it also results in Luo Binghe... glaring at the screen?

At you?

Anyway the daily management system goes out of the window, and instead there's an energy bar now. Encounters with monsters or the occasional demon woman will lower the energy bar, how much depends on what you choose and how the encounters proceed. Sometimes there are romantic/sexy responses for interacting with the demon women you meet, and they aren't greyed out, but if you try and select them the cursor will jump to another option. You think there might be something wrong with your mouse? Sometimes you get Luo Binghe glaring at the screen scenes afterwards. When Binghe's energy bar hits zero, you're offered two choices -- "sleep" or "think of shizun". Sometimes even if you pick "sleep" the cursor will still jump to "think of shizun", and you'll be treated to another one of those slow lingering scenes of Shen Qingqiu. Except they are becoming increasingly strange, obviously warped by the exhaustion and trauma of the situation, so that aspects are eerie or even disturbing. For example, sometimes Shen Qingqiu seems to be missing limbs, or eyes. Sometimes there's blood on his hands. Sometimes the food he's eating is rotted, or the bamboo house background looks like the Qing Jing Peak wood shed. That kind of thing. You don't mind the idea of harm coming to the man. He deserves it, really, for pushing Luo Binghe into the Abyss. But the few times you try and select options along those lines, the UI glitches again.

Also the "think of shizun" option only restores a quarter of the energy bar, whereas resting restores all of it. But if you try to go for too long without doing it, it will lock you into choosing it successively for a long time.

In addition to the energy bar, there's a calendar. It's not all that sophisticated or even consistent, and it's clearly meant to reflect the fact that Luo Binghe has troubles accurately judging the passage of time in the Abyss. However, the longer you spend in the Abyss, the more violent and unhinged things start to become, and the more the UI starts glitching to reveal disturbing messages, and the more often Luo Binghe "glaring" scenes happen. So you decide to do your best to get Binghe out of here as quickly as possible. This part of the game must be broken, but hopefully if you can make to the next segment, it will work properly again.

Eventually you get to the Xin Mo Mission, which is the last part of the Abyss section, and Luo Binghe escapes.

But the weirdness continues. Worsens, even. You still get missions to like, take over the demon realms and infiltrate Huan Hua Palace, all cool stuff, and you still meet girls who seem to unlock possibly romance paths. But most of the time everything is greyed out. There will be 5 dialogue options but maybe only 1 or 2 of them will be selectable. Parts of the menu are inaccessible. You don't have an energy bar anymore, you have a Xin Mo corruption bar, and it just keeps steadily rising. Sometimes you're presented the option of propositioning a character to "mitigate corruption", but if you try and click it the game glitches or the cursor freaks out and it fails. Sometimes the game crashes outright, and when you reload your last save, it starts with Luo Binghe glaring at you through the screen. You still get the "rest" and "think of shizun" options at times, but neither one helps the corruption bar.

Then. Jinlan City. You reunite with Shen Qingqiu. There seem to be a lot of options for acting vengefully towards him, but they're all greyed out, except for a few which let you chase him down or manhandle him a bit. The whole segment is frustrating, full of weird fanservice-y moments but also mired in how little Shen Qingqiu will say, how often he insists on evading or running away, and how Luo Binghe doesn't seem to have the right prompts to actually get him to explain himself. At times it seems like the "think of shizun" mechanic is bleeding over into the real interactions with the character, so that you can't tell what's really going on vs what are the manifestation of Luo Binghe's trauma or even hallucinations. The Xin Mo bar has maxed out. You have to catch Shen Qinqiu. Catch Shen Qingqiu. Catch Shen Qingqiu--

Then suddenly the bar is at 0, and you're watching Shen Qingqiu's lifeless body fall towards the ground, his energy expended in the effort to push back the corruption. Like, all of his energy.

You catch Shen Qingqiu. Or at least, you stop his corpse from hitting the dirt.

Now the game art is crisp and clean again. All the weird UI artifacts and blocked-off menus are either gone altogether or else working properly. The sound, which had been very gradually deteriorating with low-pitched ringing and muffled portions, is normal. You can hear characters gasping and distantly shouting, and birds chirping somewhere, the ragged cadence of Luo Binghe's breaths, while the camera focuses on Shen Qingqiu's body.

Huh, you think. That's a sort of dramatic resolution to that plot arc, and it raised more questions about Shen Qingqiu than it answered, really. But at least it's over with now? Does this mean Luo Binghe can finally start to recover, or advance other plots?

Then everything blacks out. You get booted to the main menu, or something that looks like it, except the only option you can select now is the New Game+ one.

When you click it, it seems like you've started the whole game over again. Except that there is a Xin Mo corruption bar, greyed out, already waiting for in a corner of the screen. And instead of starting out with a view of Qing Jing Peak, you start out with the young Luo Binghe looking directly towards you. Like he's staring through the screen. It's the basic starting point character, except he already has his demon mark on his forehead, and his expression is way more cold and calculating than anything the junior protagonist would have worn.

"Don't get in my way," he warns.

Then the game proceeds like a visual novel with extremely limited choices. The old selections and the menu for various romance routes don't even appear, the menus have all changed again, this time oriented entirely around hiding Luo Binghe's demonic cultivation (while building it) and managing daily choices and Shen Qingqiu's relationship status. A romance game with only one romance route, and it's the treacherous crusty old teacher? Wtf? But otherwise it seems almost normal, except for the special faint-lettered red options that sometimes appear in weird places on the screen, suggesting things like preventing the Skinner demon from catching you unawares, or saving Shen Qingqiu from Without a Cure poisoning, or keeping out of the Endless Abyss.

Those options seem like they should create different outcomes, and you click them whenever they show up, but they consistently fail. As if there's some other force in the game pushing things back onto the rails no matter what you do...

Anyway, eventually you get through the main plot again, and Shen Qingqiu dies once more. This time the game keeps going from that point, however, with quests to try and find ways to resurrect him. You're starting to wonder why you're still playing -- after all, you signed up for a harem game, not this tragic gay love story? You're not even gay! It's just that Luo Binghe is such a compelling character. You decide it's time to take a break, though, so you get up, do some stretches, go to the bathroom, etc.

It feels like someone's watching you.

You've definitely been playing that game for too long. Sometimes you think you catch sight of Luo Binghe's face out of the corner of your eye, in the bathroom mirror or on the black surface of your phone's screen, just before you turn it on. But when you look twice or turn your phone off again, nothing's there. You call your little sister, to apologize for dropping off the face of the earth for a bit, and you joke about getting too invested in this weird game that might be broken? She hasn't heard of it, but she sounds a little worried as she suggests maybe coming over and taking you out to lunch, or something.

You decline -- she's got a lot on her plate, and she mentioned already having plans earlier -- but then you promise to get some fresh air anyway. But when you go to head out, somehow you find yourself turning away at the last minute. You try again, and yet it's like you just keep getting distracted before you can open the door. After a few tries you give up, swallowing down your growing unease. You take off your shoes and coat. When it comes to it, you really do want to find out what happens to Luo Binghe next.

The game is running.

You don't remember turning it back on...?

The screen is focused on the familiar image of Shen Qingqiu's preserved corpse. You can see Luo Binghe's hand in the frame as well, transferring qi in yet another familiar sequence, the one that seems to run at the end of every in-game day. There's some text.

Is it you? the red letters ask, scrawling and flickering, as if someone is attempting to write directly onto the screen. Are you the one behind all this? Thwarting me at every turn?

Yes/No options appear in the game's usual font and position. You try to click "no", even though you're unsure and feel like you must have missed a scene somehow. But the interface warps and when you hit "no" it changes to Stay Silent.

I can't figure out. Are you here to help me, or get in my way?

Help/Harm. You click "help" but again it changes to "stay silent" afterwards.

What do you want from me?

This time there's no option to select at first. Then, as if being shoved onto the screen by some alternative function, a text box opens up. Like the kind that some games have for implementing cheats or selecting character names. This particular game has never shown such a function before, Luo Binghe's name was locked in and you don't even know if it has cheats. The cursor blinks, and somehow it feels as if you have only one chance, and if you don't take it now, it will be gone forever.

You type in "help" and barely manage to hit enter before the interface blinks out. No list of prompts or possible options appear.

Shizun? the red text scrawls, shakily.

Then the whole game crashes.

You wait, but it doesn't start up again. You try to run it again, but you can't find it on your system, somehow. Really weird. Even if it had crashed, it shouldn't have gotten deleted? But you still can't find it. You start to feel genuinely alarmed. Not only can you not find the game on your system, but when you try and search for it absolutely nothing comes up. You try and go to the online shop page for it, but you can't remember where you actually got it from in the first place, now that you're thinking about it.

What bullshit is this?

What, was the game actually some kind of virus? It couldn't have been. Also who would make a virus like that? You get up and pace, trying to make sense of it.

It's gotta be some kind of mistake. Maybe you've just missed too much sleep, you're not thinking right. You'll take a break and when you come back you'll realize that you were just looking in all the wrong places, somehow.

You head over to the fridge to grab something to eat.

You can't remember the last time you went shopping, but the food in there is probably still fine. Right?

[haberai]

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[aaron04jpg]

MotoGP guide

TEAMS AND RIDERS

In MotoGP, there are “factory teams” and “satellite teams”

Both factory teams and satellite teams compete on the same track 

Each manufacturer is allowed 1 team per class

There is no limit to how many satellite teams can get bikes from a manufacturer (i.e.  there are 4 Ducati teams)

A team consists of 2 drivers

For the 2025 season, there are 11 teams and 22 drivers

Factory Teams

Factory teams are directly supported by motorcycle manufacturers

Factory teams are considered top-tier teams with the hierarchy; they often have priority access to the latest upgrades and are typically composed of highly skilled riders

The manufacturers design and produce their motorcycles and have their dedicated championship

Factory teams get significant financial and technical support from their manufacturer (access to the latest technology, support for bike development)

Factory teams are a direct representation of the manufacturers on track. the factory team’s success reflects on the manufacturer’s brand and image

Satellite Teams

Satellite teams are independent entities and may not be directly part of a manufacturer. 

They don’t have the same level of support from a motorcycle manufacturer as factory teams.

Satellite teams usually use the “same” motorcycles as the factory teams but they don’t typically have the latest upgrades or the same level of technical support

These teams typically purchase or lease the previous year’s bike from the manufacturers.

Satellite teams rely on their own sponsorships and funding (although they do receive support from the manufacturer it is not to the extent the factory teams do)

Satellite teams can switch manufacturers from year to year (when their contracts expire with manufacturers)

WEEKEND FORMAT

Each weekend from Friday to Sunday consists of free practice 1, 2, & 3, qualifying 1 & 2, a sprint race, a warm-up session, and a main race.

Friday: Free Practice Sessions

Fridays consist of only an fp1 and fp2

Fp1 (45 minutes)allows the drivers to familiarize themselves with the track and start setups. 

Fp2 (45 minutes) is usually faster paced as teams gather final data and tune bike setups

Saturday: Practice, Qualifying & Sprint Race

Fp3 (30 minutes) is a shorter session but important, fp3 directly influences qualifying

The combined lap times of fp1, fp2, & fp3 decide the top 10 riders who skip Q1 and go straight into Q2

Qualifying Q1 (15 minutes) the riders who didn’t place in the top 10 from combined fp1-fp3 times compete to go into Q2 (only 2 riders advance)

Qualifying Q2 (15 minutes) The top 10 from combined fp1-fp3 times plus the top 2 from Q1 compete for pole and decide the top 12 grid positions 

This sets the grid for the sprint and the main race

Sprint Race (15-20 minutes) were introduced in 2023 

Covers half the main race distance 

Awards points to the top 9 

Sprint races are every weekend 

Sunday: Warm-up & Main Race

Warm-ups (10 minutes) are just brief sessions in the morning before the race. 

Checks the bikes and finalize the setup

Main Race (40-45 minutes) typically covers 20-25 laps 

Points are awarded to the top 15 finishers 

These points count toward the rider, team, and constructor championship

PITSTOPS

Under normal circumstances, there are no pitstops in races due to how short the race is 

Riders and teams chose tires (soft, medium, or hard) before the race based on strategy and durability

Exceptions

Pit-stops can happen in flag-to-flag races, which happen during different weather conditions (i.e. rain)

Riders enter the pits to switch bikes, not tires

The teams prepare a second bike with the correct tires (wets for rain, slicks for dry)

An average pit stop is 5-10 seconds

RACE NEUTRALIZATIONS

Compared to f1, there are no safety cars, as the motorcycles are faster to maneuver than the cars.

Yellow Flags 

A yellow flag is shown when there is a minor incident (a crash, debris, or a stopped bike) 

Riders must slow down in the affected sector

Overtaking is not allowed in the flagged zone

Once the flag is withdrawn racing resumes as normal

Red Flag

A red flag is shown for more serious incidents (a dangerous crash, severe weather conditions, unsafe track conditions that can’t be cleared quickly)

All riders must return to the pitlane

Depending on how much of the race has been completed the race may be restarted from the beginning, resumed with the remaining laps, or declared finished

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Motogp has 3 championships: the rider championship, the team championship, and the constructors championship

Rider Championship

The rider with the most points at the end of the season becomes the World champion

When talking about rider championships, moto2 & moto3 are both included (i.e. Marc Marquez has 8 Grand Prix world championships, 6 MotoGP, 1 moto2 & 1 moto3)

Team Championship

The team with the highest total points at the end of season wins

Points are earned from the sum of the points earned by the Team 2 riders 

This reflects the performance of the riders, and the teams’s efforts, including the engineers and mechanics 

Constructor Championship

The constructor with the most points at the end of the season wins

Only the highest-placed rider from each constructor scores points for the manufacturer 

Points go with the rider’s finishing position (i.e. if Pecco in a Ducati finishes 1st, ducati gets 25 points)

POINTS

Riders earn points in sprint races and main races

There is no bonus point for the fastest lap

Sprint Race Point Finishers

12

9

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Main Race Point Finishers

25

20

16

13

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

PENALTIES

FIM stands for Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (International Motocycling Federation)

FIM governs premier motorcycle racing series (Motogp, Moto2, Moto3) 

Regulations are broken into technical and behavioral/riding 

Warnings & small penalties

Warnings from the stewards either made privately or public 

Warnings can be given for small things such as track limits

Cash penalties or fines can also be issued to riders and teams

In-Race penalties

Change of position penalties are given during a race

The rider must slow down to either give back a position or let other riders pass

A long lap penalty means the rider takes a longer route through a specific part of the track during the race

Takes about 1-2 seconds off the rider’s time

Time penalty adds up to 2 minutes to the rider’s race time

Given if a rider gains an unfair advantage 

Ride-through penalty rider must enter the pit lane riding the speed limit

costs the rider 20-30 seconds

Stop-and-Go Penalty rider must stop in the pit box for 3-10 seconds before rejoining the race

Post-Race Penalties 

Position Drop at the end of the race (5th to 7th)

Grid penalty for the following race the rider is dropped several places on the starting grid next race

Riders can lose championship points as punishment

Riders can also get disqualified (usually following a break in the technical rules)

Penalty points

Riders collect penalty points

If they reach 4 penalty points they get a grid group

If they reach 10 penalty points they are banned from the next race

How Penalties Occur

Jump starts

Exceeding track limits 

Ignoring yellow flags

Causing a collision 

Exceeding fuel or tire limits

Technical Violations

MEET THE GRID

Now that we understand how the sport works and what to expect during a typical weekend let’s learn who to expect

Which teams are constructors, factory, and satellite teams

Notable: you will also hear the name Valentino Rossi (9x world champion) he is considered one of the greatest of all time

He not only owns the VR46 team but also has a driver academy which many of the Italian drivers go through

He is also famous for his rivalry with Marc Marquez (Rosquez)

Factory Teams

Ducati Lenovo Team (Ducati)

63 Fracesco “Pecco” Bagnaia 

93 Marc Marquez

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (KTM)

37 Pedro Acosta 

33 Brad Binder 

Aprilia Racing (Aprilia)

89 (1) Jorge Martin 

72 Marco “Bez” Bezzecchi 

Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP (Yamaha)

20 Fabio Quartararo 

42 Alex Rins

Honda HRC (Honda)

10 Luca Marini 

36 Joan Mir

Satellite Teams

Redbull KTM Tech3 (KTM)

12 Maverick Viñales

23 Enea Bastianini 

Gresini Racing MotoGP (Ducati)

73 Alex Marquez

54 Fermin Aldeguer rookie

Pertamina Enduro VR46 (Ducati)

49 Fabio Di Giannantonio

21 Franco Morbidelli 

Prima Pramac Yamaha (Yamaha)

88 Miguel Oliveria 

43 Jack Miller

LCR Honda (Honda)

5 Johann Zarco

35 Somkiat Chantra rookie

Trackhouse (Aprilia)

25 Raul Fernandez

79 Ai Ogura rookie

2025 SCHEDULE 

The schedule stretches across 22 rounds, making it the biggest season in MotoGP history

Pre-Season Testing

Sepang Shakedown Test: January 31-February 2, 2025 (this test is for rookies and race riders from manufacturers in concession Rank D which is currently Yamaha and Honda)

Sepang MotoGP Test: February 5-7, 2025

Buriram MotoGP Test: February 12-13, 2025 

Race Calendar 

Thailand, Buriram: February 28-March 2

Argentina, Termas de Rio Hondo: March 14-16

Americas, COTA: March 28-30

Qatar, Lusail: April 11-13

Spain, Jerez: April 25-27

France, Le Mans: May 9-11

England, Silverstone May 23-25

Aragon, MotorLand: June 6-8

Italy, Mugello: June 20-22

Netherlands, Assen: June 27-29

Germany, Sachsenring: July 11-13

Czech Republic, Brno: July 18-20

Austria, Red Bull Ring: August 15-17

Hungary, Balaton Park: August 22-24

Catalunya, Barcelona: September 5-7

San Marino, Misano: September 12-14

Japan, Motegi: September 26-28

Indonesia, Mandalika: October 3-5

Australia, Phillip Island: October 17-19

Portugal, Portimao: November 7-9

Valencia, Ricardo Tormo: November 14-16

GET CONNECTED

The easiest way to stay up to date is by following MotoGP on Instagram (and their broadcast channels) and Twitter

They also have a YouTube where a lot of full races get posted

There is an official app (MotoGP) and website (www.motogp.com)

Similar to f1, they have a VideoPass subscription to watch the races, they have a current season, archived seasons, documentaries, collections, and a spoiler-free experience

To get a VideoPass you have the option of VideoPass+TimingPass, Yearly, Monthly, and a free trial 

A full season pass is 148.99€

Currently, the preseason full pass is 24.99€

The free trials work for 1 grand prix race weekend for full access

After testing, Monthly subscription costs will come out (I will update when they do)

Please feel free to ask questions, correct any mistakes I made, or add any information I missed :)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Have any ideas on how a spy's job would work? I'm struggling to write about one

Writing Notes: Spy Characters

In the intelligence world, a spy is strictly defined as someone used to steal secrets for an intelligence organization.

Also: agent or asset; a spy is not a professional intelligence officer, and doesn’t usually receive formal training (though may be taught basic tradecraft). Instead, a spy either volunteers or is recruited to help steal information, motivated by ideology, patriotism, money, or by a host of other reasons, from blackmail to love.

From an intelligence perspective, their most important quality is having access to valuable information. For this reason, a government minister might make a great spy—but so might the janitor or a cafeteria worker in a government ministry.

Espionage - process of obtaining military, political, commercial, or other secret information by means of spies, secret agents, or illegal monitoring devices; sometimes distinguished from the broader category of intelligence gathering by its aggressive nature and its illegality.

Double Agent - someone who works for two sides.

Intelligence - In the spying world, intelligence means information collected by a government or other entity that can help guide decisions and actions regarding national security. But intelligence can also mean the process by which that information is acquired

How are spies recruited? Spies are recruited via an approach or pitch by a case officer. This often seeks to persuade the individual through appealing to ideology, patriotism, religion, ego, greed, or love, or sometimes by using blackmail or some other form of coercion. 

How do spies go undercover? Intelligence officers often operate abroad under some form of official cover, perhaps as diplomats in an embassy. Others operate without the protection of their government and must create a convincing cover that explains their presence and activities in a country—a businessperson, perhaps, or a student. The Russians call these officers “illegals,” the Americans call them “NOCs” (for Non-Official Cover). If caught, they’re on their own, and face arrest, even execution.

How do spies communicate?. Face-to-face meetings can be impractical, even deadly—especially if spies are caught red-handed passing or receiving classified information or carrying spy equipment. That’s why sharing information relies on covert communication or COVCOM. Methods include secret writing (such as invisible ink or tiny microdots) or sending and receiving secure messages using special technology (often concealed or even disguised to look like everyday objects).

How much does a secret agent make? Professional intelligence officers receive salaries based on their level of experience, like all government employees. Few own vintage Aston Martin DB5s and order beluga caviar on a regular basis. Spies can earn a lot more money, though. In the 1980s, CIA officer Aldrich Ames received over $4 million from the Soviets for betraying US secrets, enough to buy himself a half-million-dollar home in cash and a flashy red Jaguar. But living beyond his salary aroused the suspicions of US intelligence, which ultimately led to his arrest.

The Intelligence Cycle

Refers to the process through which spy agencies acquire information. It consists of at least 5 stages:  

Planning: Decision-makers task an intelligence agency to acquire information on certain topics or specific issues of concern (“requirements”). 

Collection: This is where the spies, agents, case officers, tech ops, scientists, hackers, and others come in, acquiring information from different sources in a myriad of creative ways. 

Processing: Collected information needs to be narrowed down, prioritized, and put into some kind of digestible format. This might also involve having to decode information. 

Analysis: This is the stage where collected information becomes something useful that decision-makers can use: intelligence.

Dissemination: Intelligence agencies get the final product to the decision-maker or “customer.” Of course, it’s quite possible that this might prompt more questions… and the intelligence cycle begins all over again. 

Tips on Writing About Spies

Some tips from different sources:

Being a real-life spy isn’t always James Bond-glamorous. Spies are typically brilliant when it comes to reading people—your spy character needs to be curious and patient. It may take seven years for a spy to get their footing.

Normal people make the best spies. In real life, handlers are looking for a Regular Joe or Plain Jane with access—they don’t want someone who sticks out in a crowd or whose life is in disarray. They also want someone who is honest and immediately willing to own up to any mistakes they might have made. (Elizabeth Bentley may have had problems with this.) So, having a character who is bland as vanilla (at least on the outside) may work well in your favor.

Your spy could be overheard at any moment. It’s a good idea to have your spy flip on the radio to cover important conversations, or meet in a loud restaurant. (Which also solves the problem of having a potentially bugged apartment.) Even better is to meet near a water feature—the sound of falling water is unique and difficult to filter out even in modern-day recordings.

Spy gadgets are really cool. Ticking off the KGB is not. If your spy character runs afoul of the KGB (or one of its many predecessors), be prepared for creative assassination attempts that may or may not make use of more lethal spy gadgets. (Just ask Bohdan Stashynsky, a KGB officer who used a cyanide spraying spray gun to assassinate two Ukrainian nationalist leaders.) In a pinch, the Russians might resort to a tactic like Leon Trotsky’s ice pick to the face, but either way, it’s not going to be much fun for their target.

You need a good reason to be a spy. Idealists often make the best spies, but there are other motivations that might get your character to join up with the CIA, KGB, or some other spy organization. Does your character need the money being offered? Are they looking for a sense of purpose or belonging? Do they have an axe to grind with the government? Also, remember that the CIA doesn’t coerce people into informing for them. The Russians, on the other hand… Well, they’re a different story. 

Don’t draw portraits of spies, but draw portraits of people who happen to work as spies. The choices they make in their lives emerge from who they are, and those choices might conflict with the requirements of their spy work. The spy’s job may be to suborn friends, lie to adversaries, betray a trust, but it is the spy’s nagging, perhaps inconvenient, humanity that makes them suffer their choices, and excites the reader’s empathy.

Writing Tips: Spy Thriller

A step-by-step guide to writing a spy story with international intrigue and non-stop action:

Think of a killer concept. There are a lot of spy novels out there, so you need to come up with a story that has a new and unique angle. If you’re a history buff and have a specific area of interest—like Russian operatives, Nazi Germany during WWII, or American soldiers in the Middle East—go with where your passion lies. Come up with a fresh idea that people won’t feel like they’ve read before. Do some research. Find inspiration in real-life spy stories to tell yours.

Get familiar with spy tools. From spy cameras to surveillance equipment, the cool tools and gadgets of espionage fiction are part of what makes the genre fun. Get to know spycraft and tradecraft—the technology and techniques real spies use to track the enemy. Read news stories to see how espionage works today or in the time period you’re writing about. While espionage can also be incorporated into another genre, like science fiction, for the most part, spy novels emerge from actual events. That doesn’t mean you need to just use real tools of the trade. Create your own spy tech for your story.

Create an incredible protagonist. From Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, a CIA agent first introduced in The Hunt for Red October, to Ian Fleming’s most famous secret agent, James Bond, the protagonists of spy stories have long been ingrained in popular culture. Create a main character who readers will root for and who will persevere no matter what obstacle you throw in their way.

Send your character on a world-saving mission. Think about James Bond. His heart-pounding missions crossed international boundaries, and they always involved more than just taking down a bad guy: He always had to stop a massive attack that would kill innocent people. You need to justify the intense action by making the consequences big. To do this, start by coming up with your antagonist. Who are they and where are they from? What is their goal in the story? Once you know that, you’ll have your protagonist’s quest that will propel your plot.

Write highly visual action scenes. Red Sparrow and The Bourne Identity are action-packed films based on bestselling espionage novels. Spy books make great movies because the action translates well to the screen. When you sit down to start your story, think in pictures. Readers are expecting action so you need to lead with a dramatic scene that shows your protagonist at work in a perilous situation. You’ll need a few of these big scenes throughout your story—not to mention the climax which has to be big, suspenseful and, yes, visual. Use descriptive words to get the reader into the middle of the pulse-racing scene.

Use page-turning literary devices. Plot twists, cliffhangers, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, red herrings: When you write a spy novel, you’ll get to employ literary devices you might not have used before. To write a real page-turning story of espionage, make sure you take advantage of the tools that literature has to offer for maximum suspense.

You can also read about real life spies to guide your writing. Some examples:

John Walker (American spy)

Donald Maclean (British diplomat and spy)

Mata Hari (Dutch dancer and spy)

Nancy Hart (Confederate spy)

Audrey Hepburn as a WWII resistance spy

Famous Women Who Were Secretly Spies

Some of history’s most notable spies

List of spies

Some Terminology: Espionage

Agent - A person unofficially employed by an intelligence service, often as a source of information.

Black Bag Job - Secret entry into a home or office to steal or copy materials.

Clean - Unknown to enemy intelligence.

Dangle - A person who is made accessible to a foreign intelligence agency with the intent of being recruited by that agency to then work as a double agent for the person’s own country.

Eyes-Only - A designation signifying who may read a specific, classified document.

False Flag - A deliberate misrepresentation of motives or identity; an operation designed to appear as if it were conducted by someone other than the person or group responsible for it.

Ghoul - Agent who searches obituaries and graveyards for names of the deceased for use by agents.

Honey Trap - Slang for use of men or women in sexual situations to intimidate or snare others.

Innocent Postcard - A postcard with an innocuous message sent to an address in a neutral country to verify the continued security of an undercover operative.

L-Pill - A poison pill used by operatives to commit suicide.

More spy-related terms: 1 2 3

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[therealhepcat]

Ventus: The Divine Wind in Kingdom Hearts

In Christianity, wind is a symbol of God's power, the unpredictable potency of the Holy Spirit, and an agent of divine judgment. The name Ventus is Latin for wind.

In fact, wind has always been associated with divine power across different mythologies. In particular, it is often seen as a messenger of gods, a force of fate, or a guide between realms.

Greek Mythology: The Anemoi (Wind Gods) – These gods controlled the four winds, each representing different aspects of fate

Japanese Mythology: Fujin, the Wind God – A chaotic yet powerful force that shapes the battlefield and moves unseen through history

Norse Mythology: Odin and the Wind – The Allfather is tied to the winds, often taking the form of a wanderer whose influence is felt across time

You could argue that Ventus is the Divine Wind in Kingdom Hearts.

Also, Ventus' most defining characteristic is his prolonged slumber after the battle with Vanitas. This mirrors mythological figures who "sleep" but are destined to return in a future time of crisis.

King Arthur (British Mythology): Said to be asleep in Avalon, waiting for the time he is needed most.

Buddhist Legends: Some bodhisattvas enter a deep slumber, only to return when their wisdom is needed.

Ventus is not just asleep—he is waiting, like a mythical hero whose story is not yet finished.

Example (credit to brimstoneclub):

Except, it's not the end, it’s just been put on pause for Sora and Riku to start their journey.

But wait there’s more, Ventus’ involvement in the forging of the X-Blade and his connection to the heart of all worlds (Kingdom Hearts itself) gives him an almost divine purpose in the grand cosmic conflict. The X-Blade is a sacred, godlike weapon, and Ventus is at the very center of its creation.

He is one of the only beings tied directly to the X-Blade, making him a key figure in the battle over divine power.  

His heart’s purity makes him a natural guardian against those who seek ultimate control, much like a divine warrior chosen to protect balance.  

He stops the X-Blade from fully forming, preventing Xehanort from seizing godlike power and altering the fate of all worlds.

Kingdom Hearts itself is often depicted as a divine, godlike entity—a source of light, knowledge, and power beyond mortal comprehension. If we take this idea further, could Ventus have a deeper connection to it than we realize?

Ventus and Kingdom Hearts share a connection through the X-Blade.

As we know, the X-Blade is the only weapon that can unlock Kingdom Hearts, and Ventus was essential in its formation and destruction.

If the X-Blade is the "key to divinity," Ventus was meant to be part of that divine plan, whether he wanted to be or not?

The answer is yes

Even more, his heart acts like Kingdom Hearts itself—capable of joining with others.

Ventus, uniquely, has a heart that blends and connects with others, shaping their destinies. His heart entered Sora, birthed Vanitas and Roxas, and still retains its own light, much like how Kingdom Hearts exists within all beings.

Other important connections are his with Terra, Aqua, Chirithy, Master Eraqus, Master Xehanort, Axel/Lea, Xemnas, Luxu/Xigbar, Ephemer, Skuld, Brain, Lauriam/Marluxia, and Strelitzia.

Ventus is also the only character in Kingdom Hearts to have “Dearly Beloved” in his character theme.

The term “dearly beloved” means someone who is very much loved, much like how Kingdom Hearts is loved by so many people to the point they fought over it, resulting in it vanishing and the world fractured.

Sound familiar?

After his fight with Vanitas, Ventus seemingly vanished from the world (although we all know he was actually hidden in Castle Oblivion) meanwhile his heart was fractured.

If Kingdom Hearts is the ultimate source of light, then Ventus may be a fragment of that power, unknowingly shaping fate across the series.

His very existence alters destiny, much like how divine forces in mythology influence mortal affairs.

While Kingdom Hearts doesn’t explicitly call Ventus a god, his story follows the archetypes of divine warriors, sleeping gods, and celestial forces found in mythology.

A wind god or divine messenger – shaping destiny unseen, carrying the hearts of others.  

A chosen guardian of cosmic balance – preventing Xehanort’s plan from succeeding.  

A sleeping warrior meant to return – waiting for the moment his presence is needed most.  

A fragment of Kingdom Hearts itself – unknowingly carrying the power of light in his heart.

Now I wanna talk about Ventus’ keychain for Wayward Wind, but first and foremost, I want credit @manysad for pointing this out.

Ventus’ keychain for Wayward Wind kinda looks like a caduceus.

Picture for comparison:

Why does this matter? Well it’s a symbol of the god Hermes, the god known for speed and wings.

“As a symbolic object, it represents Hermes (or the Roman Mercury), and by extension trades, occupations, or undertakings associated with the god. In later Antiquity, the Caduceus provided the basis for the astrological symbol representing the planet Mercury. Thus, through its use in astrology, alchemy, and astronomy it has come to denote the planet and elemental metal of the same name. It is said the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. If applied to the dying, their death was gentle; if applied to the dead, they returned to life.” - Wikipedia 

Dead return to life, huh?

Case and point: Ventus may not be a god in name, but he fits the mythological role of a divine force shaping the world without realizing it. His connection to the X-Blade, Kingdom Hearts, and the winds of fate make him one of the most important figures in the entire saga.

So why can someone of a pure light, Ventus, decide what’s right and wrong?

It’s because “Light begets Darkness, Darkness covets Light”.

As the darkness said to Sora in Re:mind, “He is too pure. It's because he's so pure that he has many gaps”, gaps the Darkness can slip itself into and hide without notice.

The World needs Light and Darkness, and Ventus possesses both, meaning he possesses the two forces the world needs to exist in balance.

Remember that Sora described Ventus’ heart as peaceful not long after his dive into in Kingdom Hearts Re:mind.

The X-blade is made of Pure Light and Darkness as well, in perfect balance.

A pure heart of light can decide what’s wrong and what’s right because light creates the shadows, and therefore creates balance in the universe.

TL;DR: Ventus’ impact on the overarching story to Kingdom Hearts is similar to that of a divinity and due to his heart of pure light, it harbors the darkness and creates balance in the universe, therefore giving the ultimate position to say in manners of right or wrong.

[aldisobey]

Have some Emmrich x Rook spice. This is a direct continuation from the dinner date in game. For reference this Rook took the ‘creeped out by necromancy’ options in game. I plan to edit and expand on it, but I wanted to share today’s work! It’s my first attempt at anything approaching smut lol, seriously all the kudos to the practiced writers on this stuff, it ain’t easy. It should be below. New to tumblr formatting as well heh. Hope you enjoy! (and apologies if there are grammar errors or the like, only had my eyes on it and they’re starting to glaze, I just want it out there while I’m feeling brave)

“Undoubtedly.”

Knowing smirk still at play Emmrich strode to where Rook sat and leaned down to plant a kiss. Which he did; the smallest of pecks, the most endearing of promises. A lover greeting the desire of budding courtship. Drawing back, but still well within Rook’s space he whispered conspiratorially.

“Darling, would you like to explore the forbidden?”

Emmrich put his fingertips to Rook’s flushed cheek, hush of a touch as he moved his hand up the warden’s face, a finger tracing his ear.

“Ephemeral entities that spark elucidation. Charnel halls beyond comprehension. Depths so dark they alight. ”

Rook smiled, the words filling him with a buzz of fear and excitement. He turned his head held in Emmrich’s hand, put his lips firmly to the necromancer’s palm as he blessed the touch with his own,

“Anywhere with you, Emmrich.” He mumbled into the soft skin and kissed the palm like a promise. Smiling light and sincere he turned to look up at Emmrich, deliberately resting his cheek in that beloved hand.

Emmrich’s reaction was lost to Rook in the lighting, but the necromancer’s hand started its orchestrations. Firmer now, the tracing fingers crept behind Rook’s ear, and eased into his curls as they made a massaging advance across his scalp. Rook leaned further into the touches with a sigh.

Emmrich folded with him. Towering form bending to fill the space his warden made for him, he pressed his nose to Rook’s freshly exposed neck as he breathed him in and whispered to his skin,

“Dearest.” he held there, a shuddering breath betraying eagerness before he composed. The gloved hand, not currently tangled up in curls, made for the arm of the chair. There it found Rook and wove together with his fingers, then traced down the back of the hand, trickled its way up and down the muscles of the forearm before sliding back down to that left wrist. Emmrich’s strong fingers tarried there, assessing the scope of the strain with practiced movements. Rook could feel the wrinkle of worry crossing Emmrich’s face as it was buried in his neck.

“Endearing as your insuperable spirit is, Rook, when your body aches,”

Rook barely heard the man, Emmrich had started massaging the wrist and hand in earnest. Every poke, every prod, every bit of pressure releasing the ache. The soft firmness of a professor’s hand proved its study in its pampering,

“you must listen.”

Emmrich’s hand clasped down over the entirety of the wrist. Rook snapped back to the moment, as an eerie green glow engulfed the limb. Rook drew in a sharp breath, nearly jerked away, but Emmrich’s attentions were back at the warden’s neck and distracting from the quick sting of a healing spell. Any protest melted in his throat as the warmth of the spell spread and Emmrich's humming lips pressed into skin.

Steady and firm the necromancer worked in slow study. A gentle kiss to the jaw, cheek crushed into the beat of blood, mouth then tilted up to nip at Rook’s ear. Down once more he moved into him kneading, noises low and groaned. Emmrich made every piece of Rook’s neck, his throat, his ears, known to his lips, his nose, his breath. All while his right hand returned to its therapies, and left palmed the warden’s scalp with gentle ministrations, guided Rook as he desired for better access to the shuddering gasps, the warming ears, the throbbing pulse. A sigh escaped his control into Rook's throat when a moan traveled under the skin his lips pulled at.

“Emmrich?” Rook’s voice a melted question, words short for lack of air as he clung tight to the chair, hips rising only to find Emmrich’s knee between his legs keeping him both pinned and pining.

The fingers teasing Rook’s head with experienced scratches suddenly curled, a firm fist taking the place of dragging nails. Emmrich’s vice like grasp somehow soothing, he eased Rook’s head back until the warden strained to look up at him.

Their eyes met there. Everything said, nothing uttered.

Until Emmrich gave breath to their fervent wish, “Let me take you.”

In answer Rook moved to kiss Emmrich’s lips hovering teasingly above him, but the necromancer held him in place, unyielding. Rook’s twitches a pitiful ply within the boundaries subtly set; he was locked by hair, hip, and wrist.

“Fuck.”

The word came low from Rook’s chest and surprised him. More whine of realization than a deliberate answer or call to action.

The barest hint of a frown came to Emmrich. Slowly, deliberately, he moved just close enough to Rook’s waiting lips, and bit. His attack gentle, the pressure embracing, he pinched them closed together, held there. Finally, languidly, he pressed down until he held only the bottom lip in his teeth, then softly pulled away and let it drag free.

“Manners, my dear,” he whispered a hair’s breadth from Rook’s mouth, his words heavy, intonation almost a purr “nowhere in the Necropolis is free of undead, should you offend...”

Need heavy in the air of their shared breath Emmrich didn’t move down, but drew Rook up from where he held him. Kissed him deep as to wipe free the vulgar stain from his throat. Rook answered with hunger, a growl in his throat as he strained to drive further up and into Emmrich.

The guidance came slow, but the necromancer relented, slackened the leash he held in smooth steady steps until Rook stood next to him, the chair tumbling away. The clatter broke them apart. Rook breathless, but concern widening his eyes as he noted the plethora of spirits filling the gardens.

“You’re not…” serious came the thought as fear prickled his skin. Thoughts of the noble dead rising to cleanse the grounds came to mind. Rook buried his head into Emmrich. Fingers playing at the chains and buttons “…I mean, you’re here. We’re safe right?”

Emmrich smiled, used a finger to tilt Rook’s face up towards his and kept the man’s eyes locked to him,

“Here.”

He gently kissed Rook’s forehead.

“With me.”

He brushed a thumb over the warden’s trembling lips.

“Always.”

[talonabraxas]

“And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters”

(Gen. 1:2).

Alpha and Omega Talon Abraxas

The Cosmic Beings Alpha and Omega: Guardians of the Universe

Throughout human history, we have marveled at the mysteries of the cosmos, pondering the existence of powerful entities that govern the fabric of reality itself. Among these enigmatic beings are Alpha and Omega, two cosmic entities shrouded in divine significance. Representing the beginning and the end, these celestial beings have captured the imagination of countless civilizations across the cosmos. Let us delve into the depths of their existence and explore the roles they play in the grand tapestry of the universe.

Alpha, the Primordial Force:

Alpha, often depicted as a radiant figure engulfed in brilliant light, personifies the cosmic force responsible for the creation and birth of all things. As the embodiment of the initial spark of existence, Alpha is associated with creation, growth, and the birth of stars, galaxies, and life forms. Many cultures have revered Alpha as the supreme deity, the architect of the cosmos.

In various mythologies, Alpha is often associated with concepts like light, purity, and divine order. It is believed that Alpha’s influence can be seen in the harmonious patterns found in nature, the symmetrical formations of celestial bodies, and the intricate structures of living organisms. Alpha is the driving force behind the evolution and progression of the universe, guiding the unfolding of cosmic events.

Omega, the Ultimate Destination:

Omega, the counterpart of Alpha, represents the force of ultimate destiny and the end of all things. Portrayed as a figure cloaked in darkness, Omega embodies the cosmic power responsible for the dissolution, transformation, and eventual conclusion of all existence. Just as Alpha marks the beginning, Omega marks the inevitable end of cosmic cycles.

In many belief systems, Omega is associated with concepts like death, rebirth, and transformation. It is believed that Omega’s influence can be observed in the decay of stars, the collapse of civilizations, and the eventual dissipation of energy across the cosmos. Omega serves as a reminder that all things are subject to change and impermanence.

The Interplay of Alpha and Omega:

The interplay between Alpha and Omega forms the foundational rhythm of existence. They are inextricably linked, locked in a perpetual dance of creation and destruction, birth and death. The dynamic equilibrium between these cosmic beings maintains the delicate balance of the universe.

It is important to understand that Alpha and Omega do not represent opposing forces in a dualistic sense but rather complementary aspects of a greater whole. The harmonious interdependence between creation and destruction is what allows the universe to continuously evolve and transform.

Alpha and Omega in Human Consciousness:

The concepts of Alpha and Omega extend beyond the realms of mythology and theology; they resonate deeply within the human psyche. We find ourselves pondering the mysteries of our own existence, searching for meaning, purpose, and a sense of direction. Alpha represents our longing for new beginnings, growth, and the pursuit of knowledge, while Omega reminds us of the transient nature of life and the inevitability of change.

In our quest for understanding, we often look to the cosmos for guidance and inspiration. The awe-inspiring beauty of the night sky, the grandeur of galaxies, and the intricate dance of celestial bodies evoke a sense of wonder and humility. Contemplating the vastness of the universe can remind us of the interconnectedness of all things and our place within the cosmic order.

And always remember that “as above, so below.” The grandeur of the universe, of cosmos, that macrocosmic beauty is reflected within us as the microcosmic design of the human body as an extension of the greater design.

Conclusion:

Alpha and Omega, the cosmic beings representing the beginning and the end, are archetypes that transcend time and space. They symbolize the eternal cycle of creation and destruction, birth and death, and serve as a reminder of the transient nature of existence. Whether as mythical deities, spiritual concepts, or cosmic principles, Alpha and Omega have captivated the human imagination, offering a glimpse into the profound mysteries of the universe. In our ongoing journey of discovery, may we continue to seek harmony with these celestial forces, striving to understand our place in the vast cosmic symphony.

[jackiejude]

I'd like to retract one of my criticisms of the magnus archives

season 3 spoilers

I initially did not like that all the stories followed basically the same format, with the subject first dumping their backstory with a fear that will turn out to be related to whichever entity

if this were the scp foundation it would make sense that they're all in the same format, they're all canonically written by the same organization with an in-universe style guide

but in TMA I'm supposed to believe that all these different people from different walks of life all came and gave their story in the exact same way saving the juicy bits for the end?

It has now been revealed that the format is how a person talks when The Eye compels them, this is revealed a few times (e.g. when Elias compels Daisy or when Jon compels Jude) but in episode 100 it has been shown what happens when someone tries to take a statement without compelling their subject:

MARTIN

O-kay.. Regarding a… a ghost. Statement begins.

LYNNE

…

Sorry. What happens now?

MARTIN

Oh, er… [nervous chuckle] Well, I mean, you, you tell us what happened.

LYNNE

Well, yeah, I did. I saw a ghost.

MARTIN

Er, no, I mean, I mean, you, sort of, tell the story of –

LYNNE

Yeah. The story is: I saw a ghost.

MARTIN

Okay. But what, what was it like? How did it make you, er, feel?

LYNNE

Erm… it was… scary and it made me feel… scared.

I’m sorry. Am I doing this wrong?

[widget117]

Guide to the Edda

I am by no means an expert, but I AM a proud literature buff 💪 📢

The Poetic Edda is a collection of Norse myths divided into four parts:

The Prologue: differing from the other parts of the Edda in terms of structure, subject and information, the Prologue relates Norse stories to those of the Graeco-Romans, hoping to make it's reader take it more seriously (the Edda was written down in the time of Christianity entering Iceland, so this isn't too surprising). It's unclear whether the Prologue was a part of the original texts, or if it was added only with the scribing of the Edda itself, in order to relate to a medieval Christian audience by drawing connections to familiar Christian concepts.

The Gylfaginning: the "core" of the Edda. It is our best source of the Creation story, struggles of Gods and events leading to Ragnarok. It is written as a dialogue between King Gylfi of Sweden and three god-like figures. Gylfi disguies himself as a traveller and journeys to visit the Æsir (the Norse Gods). The three god-like figures are three manifestations of Odin, who Gylfi questions on the order of the Norse Pantheon and the formation of the world.

The Skaldskaparmal: the stories in this section of the Edda give mostly background and explanation for references in Old Norse verse. The Skaldskaparmal gives us stories of heroes, dragon slayers and whatnot.

The List of Metres/Hattatal: undoubtedly composed by Snorri Sturluson himself as an attempt to make himself amicable with the Norwegian King, the Hattatal is a work of 102 stanzas that demonstrate poetics metres and devices. It's a pretty obscure section and is often left out of translations.

The Prose Edda serves as a "how to read Norse poetry" guide for medieval scholars. It's more or less just a couple hundred pages of "here's what's up"

Æsir

The Norse Gods are separated into two groups: the Æsir and the Vanir, who are pretty consistently at war with each other until they eventually fuse into just one group, taking on the name "Æsir" to mean all Norse Gods. The Æsir live in Asgard and rarely quarrel over humans or heroes. They don't like being immortal, either.

The Æsir commonly represent war.

Ex) Odin, Thor, Týr, Frigg

Vanir

The Vanir are Gods of fertility, wisdom and prophecy. Their home is Vanaheimr. After the Æsir-Vanir War, they become a subgroup of the Æsir.

Ex) Freya, Freyr, Njord

Other Creatures

Giants/Jötnar

The Jötnar live in contrast to the Gods (sometimes called "Anti-Gods"); Loki is often considered a Jötunn. There are many names for these entities (Trolls, risi, gýgr, tröllkona, þursar). The connotations for Jötnar become less cool and more evil as Christianity enters the picture, and these beings are not necessarily very large, as the name "giant" might have you expect.

Ex) Hrungnir, Fárbauti, Gerðr

Elves

The Edda mentiones Elves mostly in passing. Though their presence is scarce, it is implied that they held a lot of importance in original Scandinavian myths. There are different types of Elves, such as light and dark, and there are place names connected to them.

As in most mythologies including Elves, they are beautiful, dangerous and magical creatures.

Dwarves

Dwarves are pretty negative creatures in the Norse myth. They were the first of all creatures who live in the flesh of the giant Ymir. The Gods, for some reason unbeknownst to us, changed the nature of the Dwarves so that they "assumed the likeness of men" and started dwelling below the ground.

The reason for changing them may have to do with smithing. The Gods were the earliest master smiths, but abandoned forging and left it to the Dwarves.

Valkyries

Odin's gang of Valkryies decide which fallen Norse heroes are allowed into Valhalla (Odin's hall in Asgard, where the most prominent of the Gods are allowed their own halls, such as Freya or Frigg, etc). Valkryies sometimes appear as lovers of heroes or mortals, even as royalty.

Ex) Brynhildr, Sigrún, Göndul

Monsters

From here on out, classification would take me all goddamn day. Besides the aforementioned, you have your serpents, dragons, lindworms, beasts of battle, draugrs, nixies, selkolla, lyngbakr, hafgufa and hamingja.

The Wild Hunt of Odin — Peter Nicolai Arbo

[evolutionsvoid]

The Forgotten Libraries are truly a breathtaking and mind boggling place. Never will you see such incredible sights anywhere else, and you would be hard pressed to find any other environment that makes you this confused. It made me so thankful to have my guides, as there was zero chance of me ever being able to navigate this place on my own. Every moment I thought I had a grasp on our location or how to retrace our steps, I would turn around and see five other paths or corridors I didn't even know were there. Or that one time we traveled for hours to see rivers of ink cascading down endless spiral stairs, but then on the way back, the En'Terns used a "one way short cut" and suddenly we were back at the collection in less then two minutes. How? I have no idea. They just pulled a specific book from the hundreds in front of us, a chunk of shelf slid away and we stepped into some kind of back tunnel that spat us out where we had started. Even when they let me use their pop-up book map, I was still completely lost when it came to interpreting it. But as it turns out, navigating this place isn't the only problem when visiting a Forgotten Library. This should have been obvious to me, but it never crossed my mind due to the sheer fantastical nature of this land distracting me, but it turns out there is some dangerous wildlife here! While there is plenty that seems charming and bizarre, there are indeed entities that haunt these halls that will totally take a chunk out of you if they can! The En'Terns carry weapons for a reason, and it isn't just for hunting!

One of the first I learned about was during our first excursion out, and I found myself constantly distracted by the thousands of books lining the shelves. So many beautiful covers or strange designs, and opening them up would reveal absolute gibberish on the pages, but then strange sections of coherence that made it all seem so much weirder. "The Night Rose, 2nd Edition" noticed me frequently pulling out books that caught my eye while we rested, and she warned me about doing that. As it turns out, there are quite a few creatures in this land that use pretty books to draw prey, and me grabbing at such tomes would inevitably lead to me getting bit. Not to mention the possibility that dislodging a "keystone book" could lead to the entire shelf collapsing, and me getting crushed under a wave of falling books. And of course she made a cryptic comment of "and sometimes the shelves are hungry..." and that put a quick stop to that behavior! Goodness, I have never been more scared of a book in my life!

But one of the creatures that made bookshelves a possible threat was the entities known as the "Parchmen." Weird beings that were flat as paper, but made of something more akin to skin. They possessed a humanoid outline, but their edges tended to stretch out into spike-like formations. The Parchmen lacked any real features on their tan bodies, no organs or things that stood out. They merely had patterns of ink drawn upon their flesh, which was said to change depending on mood and situation. Used for both communicating with others of their kind and tricking prey. With this flattened shape, they could bend, fold and roll their bodies in countless ways, taking advantage of their incredible thinness. The biggest thing they did was stuff their bodies between books on shelves, causing them to disappear from sight. When prey came close, they would spring out and envelope them in their stretchy bodies. Their pointed edges would dig into flesh and suck away fluids and essence til their victim was a dried husk. Then they would slither off, leaving the shriveled corpse behind as they found a nice place to roll up and digest.

The Parchmen are feared by the En'Terns not only for this ambush tactic, but also because they seem to target their people. Apparently the Parchmen noticed that their shape was similar, and thus the chance of using mimicry to lure En'Terns close. Stories tell of the Parchmen pretending to be a one of them from a distance, beckoning them closer or feigning an emergency that would force them to rush. They would act like someone was gravely wounded or being chased, then pouncing on those who came to their aid. Parchmen can also figure out what books or resources the En'Terns like to collect, and then jam their bodies inside the material so they can be collected and carried. Once the harvester is in a vulnerable position, they can burst out and consume them. Thus vigilance is a must when out in the Forgotten Library, and an eye for detail so you can notice when something is out of place.

Killing a Parchmen is not easy, as they lack any vital organs. The general idea is that you cut them into enough pieces til it "becomes too hard to exist." Apparently once you slice enough bits on them, they literally give up being alive and go limp. Obviously, cutting implements are a must, while their pen tipped spears are great for pinning these slippery buggers down. My guides recommended carrying a knife at all times, so that you could cut yourself free if attacked. Dead Parchmen aren't used too much as a common resource at collections, but I was told their hide is used in "Rorschamancy." This is a type of divination that is done by slowly dripping ink upon a specially prepared medium over the course of hours, with the resulting blots and shapes being interpreted to see what the future holds. It was fascinating to see them do it! To watch them so intricately describe the shapes and flow of these seemingly random blots, drawing fortunes from what looked like a simple mess! Truly these oracles are talented! (Oh I see. When they pull meaning from nonsense, they are talented, but when I do it with your disastrous notes I'm a vandal. I get such appreciation from you... - E.R.)

We did wind up encountering a Parchman during one of our trips, and it was quite the scary experience! We had stopped around some book pillars to harvest some "paper lantern fruits" that were growing from the stacked tomes. "Whispers of the Enchanted Heart" and I had climbed up to pick them, while "The Night Rose, 2nd Edition" was on the ground catching what we dropped to her and keeping an eye out for danger. "Whispers of the Enchanted Heart" was reaching for a ripe specimen when the books near their hand suddenly exploded! Pages went flying everywhere, but amongst the chaos, a papery figure had latched onto their arm. It was a Parchman that had saw an opening, and was now trying to feed on my friend! The thing was quickly trying to wrap around them, and he was trying to fight it, but the precarious perch made it difficult. I was tethered to him by a rope, as it was to help keep me from falling while traversing the shelves. I yelled for him to let go and use me as an anchor to swing closer to the ground. If he could get on solid land, "The Night Rose, 2nd Edition" could help and it would be easier to fight.

He released his grip while I latched on tight to the shelf. He swung like a pendulum, and quickly undid his tether mid swing. Closer to the ground, the impact wouldn't hurt as much, but he twisted his body to use the flailing Parchman as a cushion. Landing atop the thing wouldn't hurt it, but the sensation of hitting the wood floor hard would daze it. "The Night Rose, 2nd Edition" was on them in a flash, drawing a pen knife to start cutting away at the thing. I climbed down and hurried to help. The Parchman put up one nasty fight, even slapping me in the face a few time with its flailing limbs. With the two of us there, we were able to cut it to ribbons, and eventually it stopped moving entirely. Not before a sliced off arm tried to wrap around my face! Thankfully, those buggers don't know how sharp dryad jaws are, and I wound up biting it in half. The closest I would get to tasting Forgotten Library food, and indeed it tasted awful! Like trying to eat a scroll, but somehow it is a feisty one!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------

This is the last thing I have drawn up for the Forgotten Libraries. That doesn't mean it has all been done, it is just I got no more in the current line up. Hope to do more of the weird critters in this land in the future though! There is certainly more on my mind!

[stagkingswife]

Take Notes Like Stag Part 2: Unrecorded Entity Note Taking Exercise

Part 1: Spirit Encounters Part 3: Spell "Lab Notes" Part 4: Signs & Omens The early stages of developing a relationship with an unrecorded entity can be frustrating and confusing for many people.  The most commonly recommended first steps for getting to know a new entity are research and reading the entities myths and those don’t apply to a completely unrecorded entity and only help so far for an entity whose general type may be recorded in myth and folklore, but not them in specific.  My general advice for getting to know an unrecorded entity of any kind is to take it slow and get to know them the same way you would get to know a new person in your life.  Ask them about themselves every time you communicate with them, and keep track of each encounter using the format in part 1 - pay attention to themes, symbols, imagery, anything that you notice starts to repeat across multiple encounters.  Once you feel like something might be a defining feature or factor of the entity, something fixed that you’re sure of, make note of it and you can then run this exercise.  For this exercise you’ll need a few sheets of paper, a writing implement, the information you’ve been gathering, and a form of divination.  Yes/no forms of divination is fine for this, but something with more nuance is preferred and will give you more detailed answers in later steps. 

Review your existing notes on this entity and find a defining feature of the entity, this can be something that’s been repeated often enough in your notes on your earlier encounters to become a pattern, or something that’s happened less often but was experienced very strongly.  You’re the judge in this step of what is important enough to single out for this exercise, you can always do it again with something else if one iteration of it doesn’t prove fruitful.  

Get your paper and writing tool and write your feature in the center of the page.  Then create a brainstorming web of free associations with anything and everything that comes to mind springing from the starting point. Add as many spokes to the web and layers to each spoke as you can think of and fit.  

There are no wrong answers in this step - this isn’t you telling the entity they are associated with any of the things in the web, you’re making a list of things to ask them about.  

(If you’ve never made or heard of a brainstorming web before here’s a link to a template)

Then go through each item on the web with your divination tool for confirmation or denial from the entity of the association. -- Yes/No divination can give you a yay/nay on an association, “Yes, this is associated with me” or “No, this is not associated with me.”  But a more nuanced form of divination can unlock ones you didn’t think of with “no, but…” or “yes, and…” type answers.  For instance if you started with the center word of “harvest” because you had the indication that the entity was associated with the harvest and from there you branched out to “grain.” You used your tarot cards to confirm “grain” and you pull the Three of Cups, which is a very harvest-y card so you could take that as a yes, but the guide book for your deck specifically mentions fruits and vegetables instead of grains.  You can then follow up on fruits and vegetables vs grains to see if the entity strongly favors one over the other.

Record your results in your ongoing notes for this entity.  Remember:

An example: When I was working on Returning my pantheon of unrecorded entities, The Forgotten Ones, I would get to know an entity organically through divination conversation, dreams, Otherworldly visits, etc. for maybe a few months before I had enough fixed points of data that I thought it was was worth going through this exercise.  Then I would take an afternoon or an evening and run it multiple times for each data point I had, once through for a symbol that had appeared multiple times, once for a theme that the entity consistently used, once for an animal that they had shown a preference for, once for a flower they favored for offerings, etc.  I like to do this exercise in a trance, to add a little oomph to what is basically word association, but that’s not strictly necessary.  My goddess Brona, when I started working on her one of the few things I knew about her was that she was an entity that existed in the in betweens. Because she was so strongly liminal, so intrinsically neither here nor there I had trouble pin down more details on her even as I became very close to her.  So I ran this exercise on the word “liminal” before I had gathered much else for her.  Here is a sample of that map for her, that I just made for this post, so it’s all things that I know are associated with her - I can’t find my original, and at this point it’s hard to think of incorrect examples.

[darklordazalin]

Azalin Reviews: Darklord Isolde

Domain: The Carnival Formation: 740 BC though some specuclation on the exact year. Power Level: 💀💀💀💀 ⚫ Sources: The Carnival (2e), Domains of Dread (2e)

Isolde is the Darklord of the Carnival, a traveling Domain that brings bright colors and joy to the Domains of Dread. As one can imagine, Isolde is not well-loved amongst the Darklords of the Mist. Indeed, she is an outlier, yet as trapped in these velvet-lined prisons as the rest of us.

The Carnival is a small Domain of outcasts Isolde has collected along her travels like a tourist collecting trinkets. The shows vary as much as the performers, from bat-winged ‘vampires’ to werebeasts that only turn to their human form on the night of the full moon. Those that work at and perform in the Carnival form a tight-knit family, finding a home amongst their fellow ‘freaks’ when the rest of the world shunned them. A few of these individuals were originally from Darkon and are attempting to flee justice by hiding under Isolde’s skirts…

Isolde herself appears as a beautiful woman with dark hair and elven-like features. She is said to be a kind-hearted individual, standing against the injustices of the world and defending the downtrodden. Yet, she herself causes the Twisting that inflicts her followers…Perhaps she believes the end justifies the means? Or perhaps she is too obsessed with vengence to care.

Isolde is a divine being known as a Ghaele or a Greater Eladrin. Though most would simply refer to her as an avenging angel. Now…how exactly would such an entity become a Darklord? One could argue that her status as Darklord is rather complicated as she essentially volunteered for the position.

Before she arrived in the Demiplanes of Dread as the Mistress of the Carnival, Isolde traveled through the realms bringing freedom to the oppressed and smiting the unworthy. She often wore the guise of an elf or a human while she dispatched her views of justice.

Eventually she met her match in an unnamed Incubus simply known as the Gentleman Caller. While Isolde was attempting to transform a powerful Baroness into a benevolent ruler, the Gentleman Caller was twisting her into a selfish ruler driven by debauchery and lust. Isolde lost and the Incubus fled into the realms of Ravenloft where Isolde was forbidden to tread.

Isolde, wishing to seek vengeance against the fiend, sought out her betters and asked for permission to enter the Mists. This she was granted, but only if she remained forever within the Domains of Dread and always wore her human guise. Thinking she could easily rid the worlds of such a horrible entity, Isolde readily agreed to this bargain and followed the Gentleman Caller into Ravenloft.

Isolde found these Misty realms to be full of despair, injustice, and evil. She made it her mission to alleviate the suffering of the innocents within and provide a safe-haven for the outcasts and downtrodden. Though, her primary goal is to destroy the Gentleman Caller.

So, she travels through the mists from Domain to Domain seeking signs of the Incubus. Our tormentors have not made her task easy, for a few days before the Carnival arrives in a Domain, flyers appear announcing its arrival. The Carnival itself comes into the Domain in a caravan of colorful wagons, guided through the Mists by the Skurra Vistani that make their home in the grounds of the Carnival.

Wherever Isolde goes, a 300-foot nimbus surrounds her. The Carnival is often contained within this nimbus for she can cause almost any change or effect she wills when within the aura. Furthermore, her power supersedes any power of a Darklord who is within her nimbus. It is why we tolerate her presence and allow her little Carnival to set up in our Domains. I even had her little troupe come to Castle Avernus once and perform for me. It was…quant.

This nimbus has other effects that Isolde cannot control. Those that live within it for a period of time change – their internal natures manifesting in their outward appearances. This is known as the ‘twisting’ and though Isolde sees no issue with the changes forced upon her employees, there are those among them that believe these 'effects'mutations' are proof of Isolde’s true, malevolent nature.

Isolde may be blind by vengeance and continues to pointlessly pursue the Gentleman Caller, but she is still a powerful divine being. So powerful that she carries a small pocket of influence with her wherever she goes, transforming the Domains she travels to as she sees fit. Though I do not fear her myself, I respect her and the power she wields.

[djljpanda]

Hydrogen Anon, I know I'm back rather quickly, but I'm gonna talk about Creme Republic in the Self Aware AU because it's my favourite location in the game.

Some Cookie Odyssey Spoilers--

The Creme Republic would probably first take notice of Gingerbrave and company sometime around Chapter 10, possibly before, seeing as at the start of Cookie Odyssey, it's established they had tabs on the Ancient Heroes. Though the small group of people with access to this information would all be rather confused..

How are a group of young teens with a thief no less, able to go to all these locations and manage this?? So they keep even closer eyes on the group, maybe even sending some cookies to watch them in their travels. This is when they find out about MC, which is seemingly this mysterious sentient being, hiding away, yet advising them every time they get into a fight..

Weird.

I also imagine that if MC ever ends up in Earthbread by some ridiculous circumstance, this would probably be a very, not bad per se.. (there is duskgloom and beast yeast after all). But just not great place to land in. You're in a city with no money, and people are giving you weird looks because you clearly aren't from here and don't know where you're going.

(Going thru some characters) - beware very ooc.

I feel like Clotted Cream would just be completely thrown for a loop, it kind of made sense until he was told that the cookies had never actually heard this figure "speak", MC just guided them into a battle formation and then they'd win. It sounds completely ludicrous. I think that CCC wouldn't suspect MC to be a higher power initially, but would suspect MC, whatever they were, had some level of strategic genius to lead a group that effectively, all while never actually being seen.

Financier and Madeleine don't initially think MC is a celestial or anything, that's jumping the gun a little, in fact when the Council of Heroes happens they find MC a little unnerving, MC has eyes everywhere, nobody can see them, and they never say anything. MC just keeps watching. By the time Ch.2 and 3 roll around they get convinced though. MC literally guided all of them, helping in fighting the masked cookies, as well as defending the republic when DE attacked, when they finally witness MCs bizarre guidance in person they walk away with a really different perception, MC being some kind of celestial isn't completely impossible.

When news of the weird entity reaches the elders, they've all got radically different perceptions of MC, (I won't go thru them all it will take forever) - I think Caviar wouldn't care in the slightest what they were, if they really are some higher power, and so far, mute, they probably won't be telling anyone anytime soon, speculation is fine, but the more important issue is if they're a threat or not, and so far, despite their suspicious demeanor they haven't *really* done anything bad.

Honestly I have no idea where Oyster would stand on this, wherever she stands though, she probably keeps her opinion very secretive, though. Or holds off on making assumptions until they have more information.

I'll do Expresso too, screw it. He subscribes to the belief that you're a cookie with incredibly powerful magic, plain and simple. (I could also see him not caring either, but in this case I imagine curiousity getting the better of him).

Though--out of the lot he finds MC the most unnerving, for exactly that reason. If they are a cookie, why do they never show themselves or speak, even in emergencies??

I hope you liked my *very* out of character rambles about the Creme Republic, use these HC how you want, they aren't very good lmfao.

Hello again Hydrogen, welcome back.

I do believe that CCC are very confused about Mc and want to find some understanding not liking how they know nothing of them.

I think when Mc first landed in Earthbread I felt like everyone at first could see them but for right now so unknown things happen where they are not invisible but only those they chose can see them.

And I think that the Mc can talk but when that unknown thing happened it kind of messed up their way of speaking. Kind of like tinkerbell where all you hear are bells when she speaks or they don't need to say anything but yet they still know what they are saying, or some form of sign language.

Just imagine those cookies shocked and confused when they see Mc leading them to battle. But I think Mc really cares about the main squad as to them they are also confused about this new place.

But I do think after Mc helps out with fighting the masked cookies more about their existence started to be talked about.

I do like your self aware hc better than what I can do, does make me want to write oneshots.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Ok! So I mostly want to make sure I have my general timeline and magic system in place before sending this au off into the tumblr verse

We can start with magic systems first, mainly the name situation seeing as it’s kinda a big deal

Big smoking gun of this aus magic is that you can either use innate magic, the power you’re born with and cultivate as you live, or magic of the surrounding area

Take the shamadi fire for instance, that’s innate magic that Red Son was born with and could guide/use without much conscious thought(even if it was wild)

But what the monks and many humans used was contracted magic used through seals or spell circles(note that they don’t necessarily have to be shaped like a circle, they’re just called that because the first few were)

Contracted magic has a few stipulations that innate magic doesn’t, like the spell absolutely needing to have an end requirement and material component like a paper and ink or blood in order to persuade the powers that be into agreeing to abide by your spell circle contract

Innate magic has a few stipulations as well, most have it tied to their stamina and need to train for ages to have a large reserve of power to draw from or at least have to eat and sleep a lot, making it hard to keep up with others at times and possibly ending their lives if they use magic too much

Thoughts on the distinction?

Thats a really cool magic system!

The cultivated sounds a lot like the Dao-based method Subodhi taught his students. Cultivating magic like a learned skill rather than an inherent talent. Wukong was born with a lot of inherent magic, but had poor control over it - causing him to only really have control after Subodhi helped him "shape" it.

And ofc theres areas in the Jttw book that are Super Magical like the Ginseng Fruit Tree; by virtue of something greater happening there or from its natural formation. Mountains in chinese mythos have their own mini gods by virtue of the amount of energy they represent.

The "contract" magic you describe also reminds me of how magic is often represented in Japanese works; with clear instruction/end goals. Most often this is represented through paper talismans; Ofuda for Shinto, Sutras for Buddhism. This is also why in anime, the paper usually burns up when used - metaphorically signalling that the magic has been completed and cannot be repeated with the same material/action.

I like the "Innate Magic is tied to Stamina" idea too!

I hc that a lot of the Big Powerful entities have a HUGE cooldown period for their power, one that gets bigger with the more innate power they hold. The deities that control and/or represent larger aspects like Islands, Stars, Planets, Seas etc; are brimming with magic, but take longer to react and recover from using it. A comparison I guess would be a matchstick compared to a volcanic eruption.

This do be sounding super cool! I hope to hear more about your Au in the future! ^-^