Tumgik
#Verse: Bastion of Tradition
phoenix-flamed · 4 months
Text
Continued from here:
Sometimes, it was -- regrettably -- too easy for the occupants of Rosalith Castle to forget that children were still children. Regardless of their status and upbringing, their life experiences, and the tedium of their days spent in lessons on court etiquette and a seemingly endless array of political and historical knowledge, and other such matters that would prove either superficial or not at all relevant until their later years... They really were still children above all else, with a child's curiosity in their minds and hearts, and creative energy in spades.
The garden had always been well cared for, spanning back as far as Elwin could remember; the roses were especially beloved, even to him. While it came as little surprise that the gardener would be protective of them, especially because of their origins, it nonetheless distressed him that Jill and Clive had been reprimanded for their little endeavor. Thus was his first order of business to soothe the ire of the gardener, and reassure the older servant that all was well and no lasting harm had been done. (As well as adding a lighthearted reminder that in Elwin's own childhood, he had himself fallen into one of those very same rose bushes, and the Archduchess and Duke had laughed rather than get angry over it.)
The more urgent matter, of course, was finding Jill to comfort her, and reassure her that she had done no wrong. The prior part of that was the easy one -- but the moment his gaze fell upon her and her seemingly abandoned materials, he realized that the second part would prove a touch more difficult.
"Dry your eyes, dear girl," The Archduke gently encouraged, all the while offering her an equally as warm and gentle smile. "It will be alright. The gardener was afraid that he would be the one to get into trouble -- but you can both rest assured that I have it on good authority that the one for whom those roses were planted would be glad to see her flowers being so loved by you." There was a pause. His brow furrowed in careful contemplation, then his head tipped back while a gloved hand rested beneath his chin. ".. In fact..." The smile quickly enough returned in full. The man knelt in order to bring himself slightly closer to eye-level with Jill, as a show of respect towards her. ".. My mother would have been both delighted and honored to wear one of your works."
Those oceanic-hued eyes seemed to light up, bringing more life to his entire countenance, and in doing so chasing away the last lingering traces of concern that had been present. "Will you teach me to make them? I, too, will proudly wear one with you, should you allow it -- and perhaps such a beautiful gift would brighten the Duchess's spirits as well."
@nievea
6 notes · View notes
Text
Unveiling India's Timeless Treasures: A Journey through Historical Marvels
India's history is a tapestry woven with threads of ancient civilizations, empires, and cultural exchanges. It is due to these ancient aspects that there are many historical places in India for us to visit. India's history is marked by a diversity of cultures, languages, religions, and traditions, each contributing to its rich heritage. It has witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, the spread of religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity, and the struggles for independence against colonial powers. Today, modern India stands as a vibrant democracy, embodying a synthesis of ancient traditions and contemporary progress and has left behind some of the Historical places in India for you to visit and explore.
Taj Mahal
One of the most prestigious amongst all historical places in India is The Taj Mahal, situated in Agra, India, is a world-renowned monument built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Constructed from white marble adorned with intricate carvings and semi-precious stones, it took around 20 years to complete. The central mausoleum houses the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, surrounded by a Persian-style garden. A symbol of eternal love and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Taj Mahal continues to captivate visitors with its timeless beauty and historical significance.
Agra Fort
The Agra Fort, located in Agra, India, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an architectural marvel. Among the other, it is also one of the most renowned historical places in India. Constructed primarily of red sandstone, it served as the main residence of the Mughal emperors until 1638. The fort's impressive structures, including palaces, mosques, and courtyards, showcase a blend of Islamic and Hindu architectural styles. Notable features include the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), and the iconic Jahangir Palace. The fort's strategic location near the Taj Mahal adds to its historical significance, attracting visitors from around the world to admire its grandeur and rich history.
Red Fort
There are many historical places in India situated in Delhi itself and The Red Fort, located in Delhi, India is an important one. It is an iconic symbol of Mughal architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century, it served as the main residence of Mughal emperors for nearly 200 years. Built primarily of red sandstone, the fort features impressive structures such as the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) and the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), adorned with intricate marble inlay work and carvings. The fort's imposing walls and bastions enclose a sprawling complex of palaces, gardens, and pavilions, reflecting the grandeur and opulence of the Mughal era. Today, the Red Fort stands as a symbol of India's rich cultural heritage and attracts visitors from across the globe with its majestic architecture and historical significance.
Qutub Minar
The Qutub Minar is the vibrant tourism spot in historical places in India. It is located in Delhi, India, is the world's tallest brick minaret, standing at over 73 meters (240 feet) tall. Built in the early 13th century by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, and later expanded by subsequent rulers, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The minaret is constructed of red sandstone and marble, adorned with intricate carvings and verses from the Quran. The Qutub Minar complex also includes several other historical structures, such as the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Alai Darwaza, and Iron Pillar of Delhi. A testament to the architectural and artistic prowess of medieval India, the Qutub Minar continues to be a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors to marvel at its towering height and historical significance.
Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal, or "Palace of Winds," is a distinctive architectural marvel located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. It is among the most prestigious structures in the historical places in India. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it is renowned for its unique facade adorned with intricately latticed windows (jharokhas) and balconies. The palace, constructed of red and pink sandstone, was designed to allow royal women to observe street festivals and daily life without being seen, hence its name "Palace of Winds." It is a very popular tourism spot in Jaipur with people visiting from all over the world.
0 notes
Text
Nurturing Minds, Cultivating Faith: The Role of Islamic Primary Schools in Manchester
Tumblr media
In the bustling city of Manchester, amidst its diverse cultural tapestry, lies a crucial institution that plays a significant role in shaping young minds while fostering a deep-rooted connection to faith: Islamic primary schools. These educational establishments stand not only as centers of academic excellence but also as bastions of Islamic values, providing a nurturing environment where children can grow academically, socially, and spiritually.
Islamic primary schools in Manchester serve a vital purpose in catering to the needs of Muslim families who seek to instill religious teachings and values alongside academic education. With a curriculum that integrates Islamic studies into the daily routine, these schools offer a holistic approach to learning, where children are not only taught traditional subjects like mathematics, science, and language arts but also receive instruction in Quranic studies, Islamic history, and ethics.
One such school that exemplifies this holistic approach is [School Name], located in the heart of Manchester. Here, students embark on a journey of discovery, where the teachings of Islam are woven seamlessly into every aspect of their education. From morning assemblies filled with recitations of Quranic verses to afternoon sessions delving into the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the school's curriculum reflects a commitment to nurturing both the intellect and the soul.
But Islamic primary schools in Manchester offer more than just academic instruction; they provide a supportive community where children feel a sense of belonging and identity. Through regular prayers, communal gatherings, and celebrations of Islamic festivals, students forge bonds with their peers and develop a deep appreciation for their religious heritage. Moreover, the presence of Muslim role models among the teaching staff further reinforces the values of compassion, integrity, and service that lie at the heart of Islam.
In a world where young Muslims often grapple with issues of identity and belonging, Islamic primary schools offer a sanctuary where they can explore their faith with confidence and pride. By immersing themselves in an environment that celebrates their cultural and religious heritage, students develop a strong sense of self-esteem and resilience, enabling them to navigate the challenges of adolescence with grace and resilience.
Moreover, Islamic primary schools in Manchester play a vital role in promoting social cohesion and understanding within the wider community. By fostering an ethos of inclusivity and tolerance, these schools serve as bridges between different cultural and religious groups, fostering dialogue and mutual respect. Through initiatives such as interfaith workshops, community service projects, and cultural exchanges, students learn to appreciate the diversity of the world around them while upholding the values of compassion and empathy taught by Islam.
However, like any educational institution, Islamic primary schools in Manchester face their own set of challenges. Limited resources, lack of funding, and the ever-evolving landscape of education pose significant obstacles to their growth and sustainability. Moreover, misconceptions and stereotypes about Islamic education often lead to misunderstandings and prejudices within wider society, further complicating the efforts of these schools to thrive and flourish.
Nevertheless, despite these challenges, Islamic primary schools in Manchester remain steadfast in their commitment to providing a high-quality education grounded in Islamic principles. With dedicated teachers, supportive parents, and eager students, these schools continue to inspire and empower the next generation of Muslim leaders, scholars, and professionals.
In conclusion, Islamic primary schools in Manchester play a vital role in nurturing the hearts and minds of young Muslims while promoting understanding and harmony within the broader community. Through their dedication to academic excellence, moral integrity, and spiritual growth, these schools serve as beacons of light, illuminating the path towards a brighter future for generations to come.
0 notes
hayyathadi951 · 2 months
Text
Empowering the Shia Community: The Significance of Shia Quran Academies
Introduction
In the dynamic landscape of Islamic education, Shia Quran Academies emerge as vital institutions dedicated to nurturing the spiritual, intellectual, and communal growth of the Shia community. Rooted in the profound reverence for the Quran and guided by the tenets of Shia theology, these academies serve as bastions of knowledge and enlightenment. This article explores the pivotal role played by Shia Quran Academies in empowering the Shia community and fostering a deeper connection with the divine scripture.
Preservation of Shia Identity and Heritage
At the heart of Shia Quran Academies lies a steadfast commitment to preserving and perpetuating the unique identity and heritage of the Shia community. Through rigorous Quranic studies, students delve into the intricacies of Shia theology, exploring interpretations and perspectives that resonate with their distinct beliefs and values. By grounding their understanding of the Quran in Shia jurisprudence and tradition, these academies ensure the continuity of Shia heritage, safeguarding it for future generations.
Tumblr media
Promotion of Intellectual Inquiry and Scholarship
Shia Quran Academies serve as vibrant centers of intellectual inquiry and scholarly discourse, fostering a culture of critical thinking and academic rigor. Students are encouraged to engage deeply with the Quran, examining its verses and delving into its profound meanings under the guidance of experienced scholars. Through rigorous study and debate, they develop the analytical skills and intellectual acumen necessary to address contemporary challenges and contribute meaningfully to the field of Islamic scholarship.
Fostering Unity and Solidarity
In an era marked by diversity and discord, Shia Quran Academies play a crucial role in fostering unity and solidarity within the Shia community. Despite differences in cultural backgrounds or sectarian affiliations, students from diverse backgrounds converge in pursuit of a shared objective: to deepen their understanding of the Quran and strengthen their spiritual connection. This shared journey fosters a sense of solidarity and mutual respect, transcending societal divisions and fostering a cohesive global community of Shia Muslims.
Empowerment of Future Leaders
Shia Quran Academies serve as incubators for the next generation of leaders, scholars, and community activists within the Shia community. Through comprehensive Quranic education and leadership training, students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and ethical principles necessary to assume leadership roles and advocate for the interests of their community. By empowering individuals to become informed and articulate representatives of Shia beliefs, the academies contribute to the continued growth and resilience of the Shia community.
Dispelling Misconceptions and Building Bridges:
Amidst prevalent stereotypes and misconceptions, Shia Quran Academies serve as beacons of authentic knowledge and understanding. Through scholarly discourse and interfaith dialogue, they seek to dispel misconceptions and foster mutual respect and understanding among different religious communities. By engaging with the broader society in constructive dialogue and outreach efforts, the academies play a pivotal role in building bridges of cooperation and goodwill, contributing to a more harmonious and inclusive social fabric.
Tumblr media
Cultivation of Spiritual Enlightenment
Above all, Shia Quran Academies are dedicated to nurturing the spiritual growth and enlightenment of their students. Through the study of the Quran and spiritual guidance from learned scholars, individuals embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner illumination. The Quran, as the ultimate source of divine guidance, serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, empowering believers to navigate life's challenges with faith, resilience, and compassion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shia Quran Academies stand as pillars of empowerment within the Shia community, embodying the values of knowledge, faith, and unity. Through their unwavering commitment to preserving Shia identity, promoting intellectual inquiry, fostering unity, empowering future leaders, dispelling misconceptions, and nurturing spiritual growth, these academies play a pivotal role in strengthening the fabric of the Shia community. As beacons of enlightenment and guidance, they inspire believers to strive for excellence in both faith and knowledge, empowering them to navigate the complexities of the modern world with wisdom and resilience.
0 notes
Text
Unveiling the Secrets to Successful Matches at Rajput Marriage Bureau
In the realm of traditional Indian matrimony, the role of marriage bureaus holds significant importance, especially when it comes to preserving cultural values and facilitating matches within specific communities. Among these, the Rajput Marriage Bureau stands out as a bastion of tradition, facilitating matches among the noble Rajput community. Behind its success lies a set of secrets that contribute to the successful pairing of individuals seeking a life partner within the Rajput community.
Tumblr media
Understanding Tradition and Culture
Central to the functioning of the Rajput Marriage Bureau is a deep understanding and respect for tradition and culture. Rajput culture is rich in customs, rituals, and familial ties, and any successful match must align with these values. Members of the bureau are well-versed in these traditions, ensuring that potential matches are not only compatible in terms of personality and preferences but also in their adherence to cultural norms.
Personalized Matchmaking
Unlike generic matchmaking services, the Rajput Marriage Bureau specializes in personalized matchmaking. Each match is meticulously curated based on a thorough understanding of the preferences, backgrounds, and aspirations of the individuals involved. This personalized approach ensures that matches are not just superficial but rooted in a deeper understanding of compatibility and shared values.
Family Involvement
In Rajput culture, the involvement of families in the matchmaking process is paramount. The Rajput Marriage Bureau recognizes this and actively encourages family participation in the matchmaking journey. By involving families from the outset, the bureau fosters a sense of trust and transparency, paving the way for smoother negotiations and ultimately, successful matches.
Ethical Practices
Integrity and ethics form the cornerstone of the Rajput Marriage Bureau’s operations. From stringent background checks to ensuring the accuracy of information provided by clients, the bureau maintains the highest standards of professionalism and honesty. This commitment to ethical practices not only instils confidence among clients but also fosters a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.
Ongoing Support
The journey doesn't end with the match; it is just the beginning of a lifelong commitment. Recognizing this, the Rajput Marriage Bureau offers ongoing support to couples even after they tie the knot. Whether it's counselling services, advice on navigating familial dynamics, or assistance with post-marital challenges, the bureau remains a steadfast source of support for its clients.
Embracing Modernity
While rooted in tradition, the Rajput Marriage Bureau also embraces modernity and technological advancements. From online matchmaking platforms to social media outreach, the bureau leverages technology to expand its reach and cater to the evolving needs of its clientele. This seamless integration of tradition and modernity ensures that the bureau remains relevant in today's fast-paced world.
Conclusion
The Rajput Marriage Bureau stands as a testament to the enduring strength of tradition and culture in the realm of matrimony. Through its personalized approach, ethical practices, and commitment to ongoing support, the bureau continues to facilitate successful matches within the Rajput community. By embracing both tradition and modernity, it ensures that the age-old institution of marriage remains vibrant and relevant in the ever-changing landscape of Indian society.
0 notes
padhaicrew · 5 months
Text
The Role of IIS University in Preserving and Promoting Indian Art and Culture
Nestled in the heart of Jaipur, IIS University, celebrated as the best girls' university in India, stands not only as an educational institution but as a bastion of Indian art and culture. With a deep commitment to preserving and promoting the rich tapestry of India's artistic and cultural heritage, IIS University plays a pivotal role in nurturing the next generation of custodians and creators. Join us on a journey through the corridors of IIS University's cultural initiatives and their profound impact on the preservation and promotion of Indian art and culture.
Cultural Studies as Core Curriculum: A Holistic Approach to Education
At IIS University, cultural studies are not merely an elective; they are an integral part of the core curriculum. Recognizing the importance of a holistic education, the institution ensures that every student has the opportunity to delve into the vast and diverse realms of Indian art, history, music, dance, and literature. This foundational exposure instills a sense of pride and appreciation for India's cultural heritage from the very beginning of each student's academic journey.
Preserving Traditional Arts: The Legacy Continues
IIS University actively supports traditional Indian arts that are at risk of fading into obscurity. From classical dance forms to traditional crafts, the institution provides a platform for artists to showcase their skills and pass on their knowledge to younger generations. By organizing workshops, performances, and exhibitions, IIS University ensures that traditional arts not only survive but thrive within its vibrant campus.
Tumblr media
Cultural Festivals as Living Traditions: An Annual Celebration
IIS University's cultural calendar is punctuated by vibrant and immersive festivals that bring the essence of Indian traditions to life. These festivals, celebrating occasions such as Diwali, Holi, and Navratri, serve as a melting pot of cultural experiences. Students actively participate in organizing and partaking in these events, creating a sense of community and fostering a deep connection to the cultural roots that define India.
Artistic Expression through Extracurricular Activities: Nurturing Creativity
Extracurricular activities at IIS University go beyond academics, providing students with avenues to express their creativity and artistic talents. Whether through art clubs, music ensembles, or dance troupes, students have the opportunity to engage in artistic pursuits that align with India's rich cultural heritage. These activities not only serve as a means of self-expression but also contribute to the vibrant cultural tapestry of the university.
Preservation of Architectural Heritage: A Campus Steeped in History
IIS University's campus itself is a testament to the preservation of architectural heritage. The institution is housed in historic buildings with a distinctive blend of traditional and modern architecture. The preservation of these structures not only provides a unique and inspiring learning environment but also fosters an appreciation for the architectural marvels that have shaped India's history.
Promotion of Literary Heritage: Libraries as Timeless Treasures
IIS University recognizes the importance of literature in preserving cultural identity. The university's libraries are curated with an extensive collection of literary works, both classical and contemporary. By encouraging the study of Indian literature, poetry, and philosophy, IIS University ensures that students are not only well-versed in the written word but also deeply connected to the intellectual heritage of India.
Collaborations with Cultural Institutions: Connecting Beyond Campus Walls
IIS University actively collaborates with cultural institutions and organizations dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Indian art and culture. Through these partnerships, students gain access to a broader cultural landscape, including exhibitions, performances, and interactions with renowned artists. Such collaborations extend the reach of IIS University's cultural initiatives beyond campus walls.
Digital Initiatives: Sharing Culture with the World
In an era of digital connectivity, IIS University leverages technology to share Indian art and culture with a global audience. Digital initiatives, such as virtual exhibitions, online lectures, and cultural forums, allow the university to transcend physical boundaries and showcase the richness of Indian heritage to individuals around the world.
Encouraging Research in Cultural Studies: Unveiling Hidden Narratives
IIS University encourages research endeavors that uncover hidden narratives within Indian art and culture. Faculty and students engage in projects that explore the historical, social, and philosophical dimensions of India's artistic traditions. This commitment to research ensures that the depth and diversity of Indian culture are not only preserved but also critically examined and understood.
Community Outreach: Spreading Cultural Awareness
IIS University extends its cultural initiatives beyond its own community through extensive community outreach programs. These initiatives aim to spread cultural awareness, providing educational resources and experiences to local communities. By actively engaging with the broader society, IIS University contributes to the preservation and propagation of Indian art and culture on a societal level.
Cultural Exchange Programs: Embracing Diversity
IIS University actively participates in cultural exchange programs that bring together students from different parts of India and the world. These programs foster an environment of cultural exchange, allowing students to learn, appreciate, and share their own cultural heritage. The rich tapestry of diversity within IIS University's student body becomes a microcosm of the larger Indian cultural mosaic.
A Tapestry Woven with Pride and Passion
In conclusion, IIS University's role in preserving and promoting Indian art and culture goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. It is a living, breathing commitment to fostering a deep appreciation for India's heritage and nurturing the next generation of custodians who will carry this legacy forward. Through a multifaceted approach, IIS University weaves a tapestry of pride and passion, ensuring that Indian art and culture continue to thrive and inspire generations to come.
0 notes
jaafarshaikh2573 · 6 months
Text
Traversing the Timeless Alleys of Dubai's Cultural Heritage Along the Creek
Nestled along the banks of the iconic Dubai Creek, the Historic District stands as a living testament to the rich tapestry of Dubai's history. The district's name, translated as "the drinking cup" in Arabic, hints at its ancient origins and the freshwater wells that once dotted the area. In this article, we embark on a journey through the narrow alleys and historical landmarks of the Historic District, unravelling the layers of cultural heritage that have shaped this corner of the city.
Historic District's Origins and Early Development
To understand the essence of the Historic District, we delve into its beginnings. Once a bustling trading post and a vital hub for pearl diving, this district lays the foundation for Dubai's maritime legacy. The traditional wind-tower architecture, narrow alleyways, and coral-clad structures transport us to the city's modest origins, offering a unique perspective on Dubai's transformation.
Al Fahidi Fort - Guardian of Heritage
At the heart of the Historic District stands the iconic Al Fahidi Fort, a structure that encapsulates the district's historical significance. Originally built in the late 18th century as a defensive bastion, the fort later transformed into the Dubai Museum. We explore the exhibits within its walls, witnessing artefacts that narrate the city's evolution and the harmonious coexistence of tradition and progress.
Maritime Heritage of Historic District
Dubai's maritime history is brought to life in the Historic District, where traditional dhows once sailed along the bustling Creek. The district was a vibrant trading centre, with souks lining the waterfront. The Maritime House within the Historic District Museum pays homage to this seafaring legacy, showcasing the evolution of wooden boats and the vital role they played in Dubai's economic growth.
Historic District Promenade - A Stroll Through Time
Inviting visitors to wander through its outdoor spaces, the Historic District Promenade offers views of Dubai Creek and a leisurely walk along the water's edge. Lined with cafes and adorned with art installations, the promenade serves as a tranquil escape. Residents and tourists alike can soak in the historical charm while embracing the district's contemporary offerings.
House of Perfumes - Fragrance of Tradition
One of the captivating aspects of the Historic District is the House of Perfumes within the Historic District Museum. This section delves into the traditional art of perfumery, showcasing the intricate process of crafting scents that have been an integral part of Arabian culture for centuries. The House of Perfumes serves as a fragrant tribute to the olfactory heritage of the region.
Cultural Exchange in Historic District
Historic District is a melting pot of cultures, and this is evident in its Cultural Exchange House. This section fosters a dynamic interaction between different cultural influences that have shaped Dubai's identity. Interactive displays and cultural artefacts create a space where residents and visitors can appreciate the cosmopolitan nature of the Historic District.
Tumblr media
Pearl Diving Legacy - Historic District's Economic Pillar
The pearl diving industry played a pivotal role in Dubai's economy before the discovery of oil. Historic District holds a special place in this narrative, with its proximity to the Arabian Gulf providing an ideal location for pearl divers. The district's Pearl Dive Experience within the Historic District Museum allows visitors to immerse themselves in the challenges and triumphs of pearl divers, offering a tactile connection to this bygone era.
The Poetry House - Verses Amidst History
Historic District pays homage to the rich tradition of Arabic poetry through the Poetry House. This section celebrates the enduring art of verse, showcasing classical and contemporary Arabic poetry. From calligraphy displays to interactive sessions, the Poetry House invites visitors to explore the profound impact of poetry on the cultural identity of Dubai. It stands as a testament to the city's commitment to preserving its artistic soul.
Historic District Courtyard - Tranquility Amidst Heritage
Within the historical hustle and bustle of the Historic District, the Historic District Courtyard emerges as a tranquil oasis. Adorned with traditional architecture and landscaping, the courtyard invites visitors to pause and absorb the ambience of Old Dubai. It serves as a reminder of the importance of communal spaces in traditional Emirati culture, allowing visitors to connect with the past while surrounded by the echoes of history.
Historic District Tunnel - A Virtual Journey Through Time
For a unique experience, the Historic District Tunnel within the museum takes visitors on a virtual reality journey through key moments in Dubai's history. Using cutting-edge technology, this tunnel provides a time-travelling adventure, offering a fresh and immersive perspective on the city's transformation. It adds a layer of innovation to the historical narrative, ensuring that visitors engage with Dubai's past dynamically and interactively.
Historic District Revitalization Project - A Vision for Tomorrow
While rooted in history, Historic District looks toward the future with the Historic District Revitalization Project. This visionary initiative aims to preserve the district's historical charm while introducing modern amenities and attractions. As Dubai continues to evolve, the project ensures that the Historic District remains a vibrant and relevant destination, balancing progress with the preservation of its rich cultural heritage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Al Shindagha emerges as a district that not only preserves the historical essence of Dubai but also presents it in a dynamic and multifaceted manner. From the economic importance of pearl diving to the tranquil spaces like the Al Shindagha Courtyard, each facet contributes to a tapestry that weaves together tradition, innovation, and the spirit of a city in perpetual motion. As al Shindagha continues to evolve, it stands as a living testament to Dubai's journey, offering a timeless glimpse into the soul of a city that cherishes its roots while reaching for the stars.
0 notes
love-menzone · 7 months
Text
Top 10 Barbershops in Ontario: A Journey of Exceptional Grooming
Tumblr media
In the realm of men's grooming, barbershops stand as bastions of traditional craftsmanship and modern artistry. Ontario, with its vibrant cities and diverse communities, boasts an array of exceptional barbershops that cater to every style and preference. Embark on a journey with us as we unveil the top 10 barbershops in Ontario, where skilled barbers transform hair into masterpieces of style.
1. Crows Nest Barbershop: A Toronto institution, Crows Nest Barbershop has been grooming gentlemen for over four decades. With a team of experienced barbers, a welcoming atmosphere, and a commitment to classic techniques, Crows Nest is a must-visit for those seeking a timeless haircut.
2. Mr. Barbers: Located in the heart of Toronto's Fashion District, Mr. Barbers exudes an urban sophistication that mirrors its surroundings. Their team of barbers is renowned for their expertise in modern cuts, including fades, tapers, and undercuts.
3. Prestige Studio For Men: Stepping into Prestige Studio For Men is like entering a sanctuary of luxury grooming. Their barbers are masters of their craft, offering a range of services from precision haircuts to hot towel shaves.
4. MODE Hair Studio For Men: With multiple locations across Ontario, MODE Hair Studio For Men brings the art of barbering to the forefront. Their barbers are well-versed in both classic and contemporary styles, catering to a diverse clientele.
5. Axe and Hatchet: Axe and Hatchet embodies the rugged spirit of the outdoorsman. Their barbers specialize in traditional men's cuts, including beards and mustaches, ensuring that every gentleman leaves looking his best.
6. Throne Barbershop: Throne Barbershop redefines the barbershop experience, offering a blend of cutting-edge techniques and a modern ambiance. Their barbers are passionate about creating personalized styles that suit each individual's unique features.
7. Terry's Hair Studio: With over 30 years of experience, Terry's Hair Studio is a neighborhood gem in the heart of Ontario. Their barbers are known for their friendly demeanor and their dedication to providing exceptional haircuts.
8. Empire Barber Shop: Empire Barber Shop is a testament to the enduring tradition of barbering. Their barbers uphold the values of classic craftsmanship, delivering precision cuts that exude timeless elegance.
9. Manstop: Manstop is a one-stop grooming destination for men, offering a comprehensive range of services beyond haircuts. Their barbers are experts in beard trims, shaves, and facial treatments, ensuring a complete grooming experience.
10. Mi Hermano Barbershop: Mi Hermano Barbershop brings a touch of Latin flair to the Ontario barber scene. Their barbers are skilled in creating modern, edgy styles while maintaining a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
These top 10 barbershops represent the pinnacle of men's grooming in Ontario. Whether you seek a classic cut, a modern style, or a full grooming experience, these establishments are sure to exceed your expectations. Step into their chairs and let the experts transform you into the best version of yourself.
To know more about the "Top 10 barbershop in Ontario", "Top 10 barbershop in GTA", "Top 10 barbershop in Canada", "Top 10 barbershop in World". we recommend you to visit the Men Zone Barbershop, as it is the best barber shop to get barbering services in Canada.
0 notes
dayenurose · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media
Thieves Guild Fic Recs
No matter where you look across the Multiverse you'll find tales of the King and Queen Thieves and the inner workings of the Thieves Guild. Enjoy these fics of Rogue, Gambit and their adventures with the Thieves Guild. <3 <3 <3
X-Men: Comics
Thick as Thieves by Valerie J and Lori McDonald
Blind Sight by Valerie J
Red Flowers by @ilargikat
X-Men: Movies
Devil’s Poison by @codealiaswave
Thieves Guild Series by @chellerbelles
X-Men: Evo
Xanadu by Alara
X-Men: Wolverine and the X-Men
- Absolutely Maybe by @tamsolo
Find more details about these fics below the cut...
X-Men: Comics
Thick as Thieves [ff.net] by Valerie J and Lori McDonald
Rating: T | Category: Drama/Romance | Words: 91,104 | Chapters: 24 | Status: Complete | Date: January 14, 2002 - April 9, 2007 | Series: ‘Thick as Thieves’
Summary:
When Bobby falls in love with a thief woman, he has to go to a man he hates for help to get her…Gambit.
Notes:
Rogue only makes a brief appearance at the very end, though her missing presence is felt throughout the story. The story mostly focuses on the growing friendship between Remy and Bobby. This fic is included on the list because it is the set up for ‘Blind Sight’ and it’s also a good story. It also includes one of my favorite descriptions of Remy's moral code--"Love wit' all y' heart, protect y' friends and fam'ly and s'vive no matter what, so long as the first two are kept safe." (Chapter 8)
Blind Sight [ff.net] by Valerie J
Rating: T | Category: Adventure/Drama | Words: 346,189 | Chapters: 65 | Status: Incomplete | Date: April 10, 2007 - October 15, 2015 | Series: ‘Thick as Thieves’
Summary:
When Operation: Zero Tolerance turns into a full-fledged mutant hunt, Remy must use all his resources to keep the X-Men safe while they search for a way to bring Bastion down.
Notes:
This fic includes an in depth look at the inner workings of the Guild—their organization, their community, their traditions, and their leadership. Not only must the X-Men re-evaluate their understanding of who Gambit is, they come to rely on him. The fic gives us a BAMF-Remy whom you mess with at your own peril. Add to this Rogue and Gambit’s roller coaster of a relationship and some of my favorite domestic Romy moments. Confessions are made, high risk heists are planned, and the fate of the world is at stake.
Red Flowers [ff.net] by @ilargikat
Rating: T | Category: Adventure/Crime | Words: 6,438 | Chapters: 3 | Status: Incomplete | Date: November 19 - December 15, 2021
Summary:
Guild business takes Gambit and Rogue to Shanghai to deal with some very bad people. Do love and do crime and try not to die trying.
Notes:
With so many classic Thieves Guild stories, it’s great to find one written with the current status of a married Rogue and Gambit serving as the King and Queen of Thieves. With Romy scenes few and far between in the comics, it is a breath of fresh air to have Rogue and Gambit working together on Guild business and being the team we all know they are meant to be.
X-Men: Movies
Devil’s Poison [ff.net] by @codealiaswave
Rating: M | Category: Romance/Angst | Words: 225,035 | Chapters: 40 | Status: Incomplete | Date: December 23, 2012 - May 21, 2021
Summary:
The prophecies of the Thieves Guild aren’t so secret. Everyone knows about Le Diable Blanc. Each Guild did their best to use him to their advantage. But is a lesser known prophecy the key to Assassin rule? If they acquire Le Poison du Diable, will the odds turn back to their favor? Or will the prophecies end in both Guilds’ ruination?
Notes:
This story is lush with detail and imagery. Code has come up with not only some absolutely fascinating and in-depth workings of the Guilds, she created a rich, mythic-level lore that really ought to be canon. It is an amazing enemies to lovers to…you’ll see. Once you start reading, you can’t put it down. While it is categorized in the Movie-verse, the fic takes full advantage of the comics to fill in the missing parts the movies don’t cover. In the end, it’s a world very much of Code’s own creation, but feels exactly like the movie (or comic) world you always wanted to experience.
Thieves Guild Series by @chellerbelles
0 - Never Get on My Bad Side (prequel) [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Crime/Drama | Words: 15,479 | Chapters: 5 | Status: Complete | Date: July 11-15, 2010 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Rogue’s life after leaving the X-Men and before meeting Gambit. Stealing, motorcycles, the ‘cure’ wearing off, and a teddy bear.
1 - I Make Men Weak at the Knees [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Romance/Crime | Words: 19,975 | Chapters: 8 | Status: Complete | Date: September 18-26, 2009 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Takes place some years after the events of X3. Rogue’s estranged from the X-Men and is now working as a waitress. What happens when Gambit comes to her diner? Canon with X1-X3 and Wolverine with the small exception of Remy’s eyes.
2 - Queen of Identity Fraud [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Romance/Crime | Words: 57,399 | Chapters: 17 | Status: Complete | Date: December 9-25, 2009 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Logan is looking for Rogue. Rogue plans to join the Thieves Guild. Gambit might be addicted to World of Warcraft, but we’ll take sympathy on him because of this whole exile business.
3 - King of Thieves [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Crime/Family | Words: 63,418 | Chapters: 19 | Status: Complete | Date: August 24-September 11, 2010 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Marriage and parenthood, Gambit was sure he could handle. It’s training to be the next Patriarch of the Thieves Guild and Guild politics that might kill him.
3.5 - There is No Questhelper in Real Life [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Drama | Words: 25,277 | Chapters: 8 | Status: Complete | Date: January 12-16 2012 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Occurs during ‘King of Thieves.’ The X-Men and the Brotherhood had murders to avenge; a wedding, investigations, and rescue missions to attend; a mother to find; and World of Warcraft to play.
4 - Hand Over My Body [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Family/Drama | Words: 57,897 | Chapters: 17 | Status: Complete | Date: January 19-February 4, 2012 | Series: ‘Thieves Guild’
Summary:
Gambit and Rogue have been hired by the X-Men to rescue Nate Summers from Sinister. Kitty, stuck in phase, is disintegrating faster than her clone body can form, but there may be a way to save her mind with Rogue’s help.
Notes:
This series is a lot of fun. I love Rogue and Gambit’s relationship. They’re really supportive of each other and encourage each other a long the way. It’s a story of love, friendship, and family. And, just wait until you find out what Rogue steals. ;)
Hand Over My Body is my favorite installment in this series. Like the others in the series, it touches on Rogue and Gambit’s involvement in the Thieves Guild, but it also features one aspect of Rogue’s mutation I don’t think gets covered enough. What happens when a personality she’s absorbed takes over (and this time, she can’t just lock it away)?
X-Men: Evo
Xanadu by Alara [ff.net]
Rating: T | Category: Romance/Drama | Words: 160,926 | Chapters: 36 | Status: Complete | Date: February 18, 2005 - July 17, 2010
Summary:
ROMY. Rogue is captured by Trask & is experimented on extensively. Remy’s a prisoner too; they escape. X-men think she’s dead, she thinks they abandoned her. Craziness ensues.
Notes:
The summary does not cover half of what takes place in this fic before it even reaches the Thieves Guild–kidnapping, mutant experimentation, and the witness protection program, just to name a few. While Rogue and Gambit might not be the ‘King and Queen of Thieves’ in this story, they are definitely the prince and princess.
X-Men: Wolverine and the X-Men
Absolutely Maybe by @tamsolo [ff.net]
Rating: M | Category: Romance | Words: 69,154 | Chapters: 25 | Status: Complete | Date: March 3 - May 6, 2009
Summary:
In order to secure a safe future for mutants, Professor Xavier instructs his team to secure the mutant thief Gambit as a team member first, and the only way to cut through his Guild’s red tape is through an unbreakable contract. Romy.
Notes:
This story follows Rogue and Gambit from an unlikely, means-to-an-end partnership to something more complicated and real. (Read it and find out!) It’s a story of trust, change, and sacrifice. As par for the course in a WatX fic, the fate of the world rests in the hands of the X-Men–and the Thieves Guild.
84 notes · View notes
cincinnatusvirtue · 4 years
Text
Culture in Focus: Al-Andalus; an overview of Muslim rule in  The Medieval Iberian Peninsula (Spain/Portugal) (711-1492 AD) Part I: A confluence of peoples and traditions...
The historical memory of Medieval Europe is varied in terms of focus and broader knowledge in the modern era.  The cultures and various peoples that existed during the centuries known as the Middle Ages are varied and rich in complex interwoven societies.  The focus of this post shall be what constituted the primary polity for much of the Medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula of southwestern Europe, in modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and even the south of France.  Though we more or less regard these countries today as traditionally bastions of the Roman Catholic religion with Latin based Romance languages.  The fact is from the early 8th to nearly the end of 15th centuries, the Iberian Peninsula had been dominated by an Islamic polity, one in which Arabic was the lingua franca among the elites and the majority population of parts of the peninsula were Muslim, with Christians and Jews living and interacting within that society too, at times relatively harmoniously and other times violently.  A well honed hierarchy was established between the three Abrahamic religions and a complex society was formed that lead to some of the most advanced and cultured learning in language, literature, history, science, math, art, religion, philosophy and economics during the Middle Ages took place. That society and region became known as Al-Andalus, the Arabic word from which the region of southern Spain known today as Andalusia takes it name.
Al-Andalus came to be the confluence of many societies in an era so often viewed in black and white terms of an us versus them portrayal between Christianity and Islam.  Indeed, these two religions would drive events in and define many aspects of society in Al-Andalus but they were not the sole factors in its being.  In fact, it was the fall of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century would in part set the stage for Al-Andalus.  The Roman Empire has been the world’s foremost political, cultural and military superpower, certainly in Europe for several centuries.  However, internal strife, corruption and civil war had lead to the empire being divided and co-ruled between two halves, a Western and Eastern half.  The empire had transitioned from Roman polytheistic paganism to Christianity with Rome itself being the symbolic head of Christianity with the Papacy.  However, the West and East divide became a more practical than just symbolic division as the years rolled on.  The Eastern capital became Constantinople and in time the Eastern Roman Empire known to history as the Byzantine Empire would persist in a largely Greek influenced context quite separate from the Latin influenced Western half although it would maintain Roman political machinations.  
The year 410 was regarded as a watershed year, Rome, the Eternal City itself was sacked for the first time in 800 years, by barbarians.  Namely, the migratory Germanic tribe known as the Visigoths.  The Visigoths and the related Ostrogoths were part of a Germanic barbarian confederation called by the Romans, the Goths.  They had possibly come from Scandinavia and northeastern Germany and moved down to the Balkans and eventually into Greece and Italy, alternately serving and fighting against the Romans as auxiliaries and eventually partial conquerors.  The Visigoths under their King Alaric sacked Rome after a siege in 410 AD.  Rome was not even the capital nominally of the empire at the time but the symbolic fall out was tremendous.  Migrations of peoples over the next couple of centuries became the dawn of the Early Middle Ages also known as the Dark Ages when classical antiquity of Greece and Rome was said to be lost on the greater whole of Europe for centuries to come.  Many of these migrations included Germans, Huns, Slavs and Avars among others.  The Visigoths eventually moved from Italy into the south of France and the Iberian Peninsula.  Long the Roman territories of Gaul and Hispania respectively, the locals were a mix of Celtic and Iberian peoples who intermixed with Romans and adopted Latin and other Roman cultural aspects.  Now the powerful Visigoths ended their migration and established their own kingdom, the Visigothic Kingdom, long promised by those in Rome they had once served.  Their Germanic language was the that of the political elite whereas the majority continued to speak the local dialect of Latin while the coexisting Jewish community spoke Hebrew and Aramaic.  These descendants of Roman Jews from Judea and Syria and parts of Roman North Africa settled in Hispania forming a community that became known today as the Sephardic Jews.  They were subjected to increasing persecution under their Christian overlords.  The Visigoths themselves eventually adopted Christianity and for the next 300 years ruled the bulk of the Iberian peninsula.
The Visigoths continued many Roman traditions, such as bathing, use of aqueducts and indeed the Latin dialect persisted among the majority of the populace with the Germanic Goth language being relegated to the German minority in power.  The Visigothic nobility was also quite learned and well versed in politics, history, philosophy and science, even later Muslim sources regarding the city of Seville attest to this, dispelling the notion that the ancient Germans were entirely barbarians with no education.  However there were also political rivalries and civil war amongst its leadership.  Overtime, the Visigoths were increasingly absorbed into the Hispano-Roman culture leaving only traces of their Germanic origins overall.  By the time of the 8th century AD, these civil wars would weaken the state for new invaders.
Elsewhere in the world was the Arabian Peninsula and the various Arab tribes that inhabited it, long pagan and polytheistic, they also had Jewish and later Christian influences among their varied nomadic tribes.  In the 7th century AD, an Arab named Muhammad begin preaching the core tenets of a new Abrahamic religion of which he was prophet, this religion became of course Islam and in its founders wake the new religion unified the Arabs and later spread rapidly throughout much of greater Eurasia and Africa, forming a religious-political empire known as a caliphate.  In the midst of the rise of Islam, the Eastern Roman Empire was at war with the Persian Sassanian Empire for control of the Middle East, wars which exhausted both empires and with little concentrated military force on their southern borders, the Muslim armies post-Muhammad advanced within a few decades time from Arabia into Persia and the borders of India to parts of Anatolia, almost all of Palestine, Syria and Egypt and across the whole of North Africa to the Atlantic Ocean in modern Morocco.  The Arab Muslim conquest overran Roman citizens who lived on the coast of North Africa and it also ran into locals, an Afroasiatic people who were the true native inhabitants of the Sahara Desert, various mountains and coastlines of North Africa.  These people went by many names and were quite varied, divided into tribes and kingdoms known variously as Numidians, Libyans and Mauri among other names but were collectively, ethnically and linguistically related.  They called themselves the Amazigh or “free people” but the Romans called them what translates today in English as the Berbers, a variation of the word barbarians.  The Arabs and the Berbers began a long and complex history during the Muslim conquest of North Africa.  Many Berbers gradually converted to Islam and many adopted Arab culture and language as part of a cultural synthesis, though the Berbers would retain their own ethnolinguistic and cultural traditions too.  They remain the majority population of North Africa outside of Egypt to this very day.  Also the view of all Muslims being Arab was challenged even in these early days.  Arabs, Berbers, Persians, other Iranians, Syrians and later Turks along with various Europeans who converted to Islam were all different in their culture and language even if united by their religion at least nominally.
The first major caliphate was the Rashidun dynasty, overthrown by the Umayyads in 661 who made Damascus their capital in Syria.  The Umayyads controlled lands bordering India in the east all the way to Morocco in the west.  It was in the year 711 AD that from Morocco, part of the caliphate’s African province that an Arab and Berber army would turn its eyes northward to Christian Europe, specifically the Iberian Peninsula under the increasingly divided Visigothic Kingdom.  A Berber general, by the name Tariq Ibn Ziyad lead an expeditionary force into Hispania, by order of the Arab governor of the city of Tangier, Musa Ibn Nusayr, under the overall rule of Caliph Al-Walid I.  The army was made up of mostly Berbers newly converted to Islam and consisting of excellent light cavalry and numbered roughly 7,000 or so troops.  The Muslim army in the name of Umayyad Caliphate was according to legend helped by a renegade European count named Julian of Ceuta who supposedly wanted to avenge the dishonoring of his daughter (meaning rape) by the hands of the Visigoth king, Roderic.  Julian supposedly ferried and provided the Muslims with intelligence in an effort to overthrow the Visigoths.  The extent of truth to this tale is debated but it is the commonly cited source for the Muslim invasion of Iberia.
Tariq landed in April 711 AD near the modern day British territory of Gibraltar, indeed the famed Gibraltar Rock, one of the Pillars of Hercules in antiquity gets its name Gibraltar from Tariq himself (Djabal Tarik). His force began raiding and sacking Iberian towns, necessitating a Visigoth response.  Roderic met the Muslim force within a few months with an army numbering 25,000.  Exact sources on the battle that followed, known as the Batlle of Guadalete in July 711 aren’t definite in its details.  Most typically it is said that Roderic lead his troops in the center pushing against the Muslim force, only to be betrayed and abandoned by his subordinates on the wings due to their own personal reasons and deceit supposedly prearranged.  The Berber cavalry charged at the “sudden” opening on the now abandoned Visigoth center and what followed was a surrounding and destruction of the Visigoth force that remained loyal to Roderic, the king himself being slain, dying valiantly in battle.  Visigoth losses were high while the Berbers lost nearly 3,000 of their own men.  Those who betrayed Roderic were eventually pursued and slain too by the Muslim forces who got fresh Berber and Arab reinforcements from Tangiers.  The military rank and file was predominantly Berber with Arab and Arabized Berbers in command.  However, the Arabs and Berbers had an ethnic and cultural tension that persisted not only in the military but would exist throughout Al-Andalus’s history.  Arabs typically though numerically inferior were viewed as the top of the hierarchy, with Berbers and other non-Arab Muslims enjoying a second tiered but still relatively privileged placement in Al-Andalus society, though more on this social hierarchy and its implications later on.  For now, the Muslim conquest spread rapidly in Iberia like almost anywhere else.  The truth lies in the fact that civil war had indeed weakened the Visigoths and their disunity against a mostly unified force was their undoing.  Many cities were taken in rapid succession, most notably Cordoba which was to become the center piece and capital of Al-Andalus in the coming years and indeed an important Islamic city on par with Damascus and Baghdad, rivaling Constantinople in terms of size.  Tariq served as temporary governor of Iberia as the Visigoths fled north retreating to the mountains of the Spanish and French border, the Pyrenees.  Musa Ibn Nusayr took over governorship in 713 though both were recalled by the Caliph back to Syria in 714 where they lived out their remaining days.
The Muslim foothold on Iberia was firmly established within a couple year span, forming the basis for a new society, Al-Andalus.  With its new Muslim overlords of Arab and Berber extraction, its Christian majority of mostly Hispano-Roman origin, their former Visigothic rulers and a Sephardic Jewish community that had been long persecuted by the Visigoths and other Christians, new questions were being raised...What would this new society look like?  Could these various peoples coexist?  How far would Al-Andalus and by extension Muslim rule spread into Europe? Especially since Muslim Arabs had attempted and failed to take Constantinople in the east on more than one occasion, this expansion into Iberia was seen as a vindication of sorts.  Iberia had become a confluence of at least five different peoples with three religions between them, the coming decades would answer the aforementioned questions in the cementing of a new polity...
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
24 notes · View notes
phoenix-flamed · 3 months
Note
Quietly, Anabella crawled over to Elwin's side of the bed and wrapped her arm around him. They had argued only a couple of hours before; she was still displeased about it, but the warmth his body radiated pulled her closer. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. " You're still a fool, " the woman muttered beneath her breath, already half asleep. Well, he was still her fool. Luckily.
When it came to their ideals for the future and how to achieve them, and how the duchy would best be ruled, there was little that the couple agreed on. But despite their spats resulting from it, the truth was that Elwin didn't blame her for her criticisms, nor did he fault her for having a different viewpoint.
How could he possibly, when he knew his dreams were rather... bold? It was to be expected that most would find him foolish, even childish and naive. Such as Anabella, who happened to be a very pragmatic individual in contrast to his idealism.
But that was all the more reason to keep going, and so the Archduke would do exactly that. He would carry on with head held high and unwavering conviction, and he would prove to her the merit of his "idealistic fantasies", as some called them. If he could just show her the good that they would accomplish, and prove to her that they could build a better world...
In his half-dozing state, Elwin initially wasn't sure if he was imagining her touch; it was her face in the crook of his neck and the muttered words so near his ear that roused him enough enough to shift against her to offer them both more comfort -- both physical and emotional. A low, rumbling chuckle emitted from his throat, while lips curved into a gentle smile. "It will work. You'll see, dearest."
5 notes · View notes
fenfyre · 4 years
Text
Apocalypse
Day 1 of @erejeanweek - Injury/Apocalypse
The morning air tasted of ash when Jean crawled out of the partly caved in basement he had used as shelter last night. He was careful not to skim his knees on the rubble he had to climb over, then made sure there were no signs of life around the destroyed village before setting off on his path again.
The sun was still hanging low above the horizon but the heat was already sweltering, adding more sweat stains to his threadbare tunic as he wandered the winding roads through burnt farmland.
He remembered this area from his youth, remembered the golden ocean of wheat swaying in the warm wind. Remembered playing hide and seek with the village kids in the towering corn fields on the other end of the forest.
Remembered Armin's bright blue eyes when Jean snapped and made colourful sparks explode from between his fingers. Remembered long nights of studying scrolls and dusty books just so he could make those green eyes he adored so much shine with the same fascination.
Nowadays when Jean snapped nothing happened, no sparks emerging, no spells manifesting his will. And certainly no pretty green eyes sneakily watching him with wonder.
With the sacrifice of the Iris many years ago humanity had given up their chance to control the Flow. A sacrifice greater than even those who made it had been able to predict at the time but a necessary sacrifice nonetheless. It had bought them the months they needed, had protected them until they could take care of everything. Had pushed the Greekin back long enough to retrieve those still alive.
But it was never supposed to be a solution. Before long their enemies had torn down the protective barriers and laid waste to the land they had not yet destroyed, forcing the humans to retreat even further behind the walls they had been able to build. Walls that would stand at the very end of Jean's journey. Once he had found what he came for, out in the barren wasteland of Shiganshina.
He had been travelling for most of the day, the sun beating down on his burnt neck, forcing him to work his way through his water supply more quickly than he had calculated for, and the only sign of life he had seen were the hulking, moving outlines far on the horizon. The danger of being detected by the monsters was ever present but never did any of the shifting shapes move closer, keeping their distance as they roamed the once fertile land.
It was close to nightfall and hunger was stabbing painfully through Jean's stomach when he finally saw the familiar shapes of Shiganshina's gates appear behind the top of a flowing hillside. The town was much smaller than he remembered. Partly due to him having been barely fourteen years old the last time he had visited, partly due to entire streets of houses having collapsed under the onslaught of the Greekin.
As he made his way through the rubble Jean recognized certain corners and buildings, memories of the happy summers he had spent out here, so far from the cold, dark walls of the academy. He remembered the stairs leading to the market place that he would race up and down while playing catch with the other children, remembered Armin's house where they would sit on the steps in front of the door and read together. Remembered the old church, the bells ringing out around dinner time. Remembered the street corner where he had first run into the green eyed boy he would kiss many summers later, under the shade of the sturdy oak tree just outside the gates.
The oak tree had long since been burned down, only a charred stump remaining where it had once stretched its mighty crown into the sky.
Jean was not able to make out where Armin's old house had once stood, among the rubble of the buildings that had collapsed during one of the attacks. The church had been reduced to burnt out remains, the bare skeleton keeping part of the structure upright, threatening to collapse at any gust of wind strong enough to shake it.
But the corner where he had first met Eren, barrelled straight into him running to make it to his lesson on time only to get right into a brawl with the moody boy, that corner he found almost untouched. And when he rounded the corner and peeked into the alley that lay behind, a leaden weight began to loosen its tight grip around Jean's heart.
The house was not exactly like he remembered it. The roof had partly collapsed but the walls seemed to still be intact. If he was lucky, and Jean always hoped to be, he would be able to find what he was looking for. The front door was barely hanging on its hinges, creaking ominously as he pushed it open and stepped into the house. In his memory it had been much larger but memories could be deceiving. He had been just a boy back then, enjoying his summers without a care in the world about what was creeping up on the horizon. Now he knew better and he needed to be prepared.
The steps leading down into the basement were creaking under his boots, the noise loud enough to make him flinch. He dearly hoped there was nothing hiding in the ruins around him that might be interested in investigating the disturbance.
Once he reached the bottom of the stairs Jean wrapped a careful hand around the door knob and tried to turn it, but of course the door was locked. Examining it for a moment he decided that it seemed to be much more sturdy than the front door and had survived the years of decay without much damage at all.
Years ago, when Jean had still spent carefree summer in Shiganshina he only had to reach out and mutter an incantation for locks of any kind to spring open for him. This one had posed as little a problem as any other ordinary lock and he remembered sneaking down here at night with Eren, eager to find out just what his father was hiding behind that unusally sturdy door. Neither of them would have expected just what they found after Jean had whispered the door open.
Nowadays Jean had to use much more traditional methods.
The lockpick was a familiar weight between his fingers as he pulled it from his bag and inserted it carefully into the keyhole. But he had only been working to pry open the rusty old lock for a few minutes when he heard the creak of floor boards behind him.
Before he could compute the cold shiver running all the way from the back of his head down his neck and spine, let alone try and turn around to see who or what was approaching, he heard a familiar metallic clicking noise. Then there was a voice coming from the upper landing of the staircase.
"Step away from the door."
With no real way to defend himself, gun strapped to his thigh but too hard to remove and whirl around before a hole was blown through his skull, Jean followed the command. He went so far as to slowly raise his hands above his head, making sure the man at the top of the stairs could see the object in his hands was not a weapon. Then he took a slow step back, still facing the heavy basement door.
"Look, I don't want any trouble. I just came here for a book and then I'll get out of your hair."
A dry laugh full of sarcasm.
"You're gonna get out of my hair, period. There's no way I'll give you anything behind that door."
That gave Jean pause. He took a shallow breath, narrowed his eyes. If the basement still contained what he had come here for it would be useless to most people. Dusty spell books and incantations only those with a suitable background would understand. Only those practised and well versed in the arcane who had studied the subjects long before humanity had lost the Iris.
Aside from fellow former sorcerers there were few people who would care if Jean broke into this basement to retrieve a dusty old book. And only one his mind immediately jumped to.
"Eren?"
His lips had formed the name, so familiar yet distant like a memory almost lost to time, before he could consider just how likely that suspicion was.
The floor boards upstairs creaked like the other man had shifted his weight. He gave no indication if Jean was right, though.
"Turn around", the voice bellowed and Jean slowly followed the command.
On the top of the stairs, backlit by the orange glow of the setting sun, stood a man of roughly the same age as Jean. His clothes were stained and tattered, his hair a mess, his jaw stubbled. But those eyes Jean would recognize anywhere.
The man seemed to recognize Jean in turn, his hard expression shifting into confusion as he slowly lowered the gun that had been steadily pointed at Jean.
"What ... what are you doing here?", Eren asked, his voice much quieter than the command he had snapped before.
This was not at all like any reunion Jean had ever pictured in the privacy of his bed. Yet his heart was thumping against his ribs all the same and it was not just because of the barrel he had stared straight into moments ago.
"I told you: I'm looking for a book." A brief pause. Then he added: "I heard your father won't need it anymore. I'm so sorry."
For a second Eren's face twisted into something hard and unforgiving that almost turned him unrecognisable to Jean. Maybe he should not have mentioned the old man. Or his death.
The message of Master Jäger's end had reached Jean mere weeks ago even though the event itself had come to pass months before. The old sorcerer and the handful of his guards had been attacked by Greekin on their way to Shiganshina, caught outside without shelter and overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies crossing their way.
But the circumstances of his death had made Jean suspicious. There were whispers on the streets about something in the destroyed settlement that would tempt the old man to hire personal guards and leave the secure walls of the Bastion. Something that would help him rebuild what had been lost. Even though nobody Jean talked to seemed to believe in any of the rumours they still circulated. They still gave hope to those who had lost it.
Maybe it was the most foolish thing Jean would ever do but he could not resist undertaking the same journey, needing to find out just what Master Jäger had been on the hunt for. What he had not gotten the chance to rescue from his basement while fleeing the city.
"His books are not here anymore", Eren said, his voice still cold. But there was something in his eyes, still as expressive as they had been all those years ago, in the blistering summer heat under the old tree just outside the gates. "I took them away."
"Away...", Jean mindlessly repeated, then blinked once, twice. "Where did you take them?"
Eren had never seemed very interested in his father's research. Even when they had been kids quietly sneaking into the basement the intrigue on his part had stemmed from the secrecy, the hidden things he could uncover where his father went to work without him. Once they had broken in and his father's lab had turned out to be a whole lot of books and not much else of interest to him he had been disenchanted rather quickly.
Unlike Jean who would have spent hours upon hours sifting through the notes and scroll and books on topics he could not even find in the grand library of the academy if it hadn't been for Eren's mother catching them in the act. What he had caught glimpses of during their brief foray into the basement though had stayed on his mind for all the years to come. And he still remembered it now, well enough to leave the secure walls of the Bastion in search of the knowledge he had once been kept from soaking up.
Enough time had passed after his question that Jean decided Eren wouldn't answer him like that. Not without being properly persuaded at least.
"Back in the Bastion of Dawn there was word on the street your father worked on restoring what we lost. A kind of ... artificial Iris that would allow us to connect with the arcane again, that would give us a fighting chance against the Greekin. Whatever he wanted to come here to look for was important enough he risked being killed. It must be something valuable, something that can help."
Instead of showing the reaction Jean had hoped for, maybe relief or excitement, Eren only scoffed, rolled his eyes. That he did not raise the gun again out of sheer annoyance was the only good thing Jean took from that kind of reaction.
"Because sorcery helped us so well the first time we got attacked", he mumbled, voice dripping with sarcasm.
And with that Jean understood the sudden hostility.
He had heard about the fall of Shiganshina, how the few villagers gifted with a connection to the Iris had stood in the way of their attackers, had tried to defend the settlement long enough for a successful evacuation. But they had fallen much too soon, leaving the village defenceless as the Greekin approached. More than half of the population had been razed, Eren's mother among them.
Grisha Jäger had travelled for an emergency meeting at the old capital mere days before the attack, leaving the less trained magic users to fight for themselves. Had there been more sorcerers, or simply ones that were better trained, maybe Shiganshina would not have fallen that fast. Maybe more people could have been saved.
But the tragedy had gotten lost among the many others and Jean had pushed it away, assuming Eren had fallen alongside his mother and their childhood friends, slain on the dusty streets of Shiganshina.
"I had a feeling some thief would come to search for his old stuff sooner or later. But I never expected it to be you..."
Jean's arms and shoulders began to ache but he didn't yet dare lower them. Not while Eren was still holding that gun and was this obviously pissed. He did try to gave a nonchalant shrug though, not sure if he really projected the ease he wanted to with the movement.
"Why not? I learned from him, I know his work. If there's anyone who can finish what he started it's me."
Another scoff but this one did not carry quite as much heat.
"You always were a cocky asshole." The grumble was low but Jean liked to imagine it carried traces of old fondness. It was the only thing giving him the bravery to utter:
"And you always liked that about me, if I remember correctly."
Eren didn't visibly react to the words but, once again, neither did he raise his gun to shoot Jean for his audacity. That was as good a sign as any, Jean supposed.
"The only thing I liked about you was how you'd leave me the fuck alone come autumn."
The words were harsh but they didn't bite Jean the way there were probably supposed to. Not when he remembered their kisses underneath the oak tree and the way Eren's eyes had glistened suspiciously the last time they said goodbye to each other standing underneath the sturdy gates.
That had been the last autumn of peace before the Greekin attacked in the following spring, weeks before Jean was supposed to travel to Shiganshina to continue his studies with Master Jäger.
Jean let out a tense breath through his nose. Eren had always been more stubborn than anyone else he'd known. This song and dance didn't help and time was ticking by fast while they were standing here. The sun was already dipping low against the horizon and he really had not planned to be here after it set.
"Are you gonna tell me where you took the books or not?"
For a moment Eren hesitated and it seemed like he would evade the question, dance around the subject even more. Tell Jean to mind his own business, to leave and never come back.
But in the end he let out a long, slow sigh, shoulders sagging.
“It’s quite a way. Didn’t want anyone to just stumble over them while searching the ruins.”
So Eren had taken them away from the village? Several backpacks worth of old books and scrolls? No matter what he said he had to see the inherent value in his father’s notes or he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to protect them. Let alone from made up thieves.
He wouldn’t have done that, taken the books to a secure location instead of destroying them, if he didn’t think someone could make good use of the collected information.
“How far did you take them?”
“Two days west”, Eren shrugged, his piercing eyes trailing down Jean’s body, bruised and dirty from his travels. “Maybe three, considering the state you’re in.”
Of course. It was suitable to Jean’s luck that just after reaching what he thought was his destination he would find out he still had three more days of travel before he could find what he was looking for. But then again it had been his inherent luck that Eren even found him here. Otherwise he would have broken into an empty basement and never found what he set out to retrieve at all.
In the end, Jean gave a grim nod, ready to keep going on his journey until he had found the valuable information he was hunting.
“I’m not going back before I have the notes”, he said and Eren’s expression shifted again. His challenging stare softened, a smirk appearing on his lips that could almost be called proud. There was still that old fondness lurking behind his green eyes as he stepped back and nodded for Jean to follow.
“We should get going, then. The sun is setting and the next suitable shelter is at the other end of the village.”
He didn’t have to tell Jean twice. Taking two steps at a time he climbed the stairs until he had reached his childhood friend at the top. As they turned toward the open door they fell into a rhythm of quiet steps that was more comforting and familiar than anything Jean had been able to build even in the safety of the Bastion of Dawn.
~
Commissions | Kofi | AO3 | twitter | pillowfort
26 notes · View notes
gossamerashes · 3 years
Note
what would you say your muse's top 3 priorities are right now, from most to least urgent?
HMM. Well, his priorities differ according to what verse he’s in. Anything Canon-Divergent and Wolfram’s goals are informed by my writing partners. Example: In one verse, his goals are to protect the scion to a noble house he serves. Whilst…also keeping the surreptitious affair he’s engaged in with that scion under wraps. Bad dog, no biscuit for him. In another verse, he’s trying to find the culprit behind a series of cult-themed murders. He’s one hell of a surly detective. When it comes to Canon, his priorities are as follows: 1) Serve the interests of Bastion. Or, more accurately, of Amaranth.Wolfram’s motivations in this are a bit convoluted. His servitude was initially won through Amaranth’s pulling Wolfram out of the ranks of the Talon Knights—a move that, like much of Amaranth’s antics, was met with a great deal of controversy. You see, the only way a Talon Knight can earn their name and their identity back (and thus their freedom) is to commit a Great Act. Something worthy of legend. Throw in the fact that the controlling body of the Talon Knights has a vested interest in keeping their trained agents within their ranks and, well, Naming Ceremonies were basically unheard of. And so Wolfram’s departure from the Order went against tradition. To the Talon Knights, he’s seen as a defector, a traitor, as the King’s lapdog and mongrel. There’s also the matter of love. Amaranth and Wolfram are involved though they take very different approaches to the emotion. Where Amaranth will always sacrifice whatever necessary for the greater good and as a means to achieve his goals, Wolfram… He’d take the man he loved to the one safe spot in the universe and watch the rest of the world burn. No regrets. No hesitation. This, of course, is not an option. Wolfram grudgingly respects Amaranth’s ways. He understands that Amaranth will always put his goals and the Kingdom of Bastion first, as any ruler rightfully should. This understanding does not make that bitter pill any easier to swallow. 2) Stop the Ash. This is tied to his first priority. The Ash threatens the edges of Bastion’s desert and though the sands have served to protect the Kingdom, the spread is inevitable. It’s a blight spreading from the corpse of a desiccated world tree, something that spreads most easily through areas and creatures brimming with vitality. It’s why the forested areas succumb the easiest to the Ash. Eliminating the Ash and preventing the next Ashfall event is Amaranth’s top priority and, thus Wolfram’s. Wolfram will inevitably help his king achieve this goal, but not in the way anyone could have predicted. 3) Return to Misthaven. His home. His sanctuary. The place he belongs. The forests and seaside covered in mist and rife with his most treasured memories. Yes, his feelings of Misthaven are largely informed by nostalgia but –
He made a promise, once. “You’ll come home, brother. You will.” And so Wolfram does, in the end. It’s where he’s laid to rest. He keeps his promise. A man, after all, is only as good as his word.
0 notes
Text
PROM NIGHT, Everything is Alright! The Golden Age of Slasher Classic
When I was in my mid-teens, the idea of a prom night seemed impossibly cool and glamorous. From my perspective it was the moment one crossed the divide between the folly of youth and the great unknown of impending adulthood. A night of stretch limousines, corsages, of terrible prom bands, adventure in the darkened halls, a punch bowl spiked with an unknown liquor, and the hero (me) getting the girl of his dreams – all set to an eighties staple, usually something from a John Hughes film. It was, in many ways, the most perfect of nights. But this only happened in America.
You see, I was born and raised in England. When I was growing up we didn’t do proms. We didn’t celebrate the end of the school year, or any of that stuff. I simply trotted off into the overcast, late afternoon drizzle, with the school bully sneering in my ear about the enormous chalk penis he’d drawn on the back of my school uniform. I’d stand, humiliated and quietly cursing as the drizzle turned to a downpour, waiting for an eternity to catch the bus home. This was England, and we didn’t do tuxedos. We did ill-fitting school blazers, frightening verse, Friday night fish and chips, and intense periods of staring out the window into the rain.
    While I was pondering the drudgery of my teenage years, the United States had been undergoing cultural and political upheaval that I couldn’t even begin to fathom; as is the way when your only worry is whether you’ll ever get a girlfriend. The early 1980s were particularly tricky for the horror genre. A new decade meant a new broom, in the guise of President Ronald Reagan, to sweep clean the United States, bringing with him a new era of political conservatism. By the time Reagan was sworn in the slasher film was enjoying a halcyon period, but it wasn’t the president’s administration that had the most immediately profound effect on horror movies, but the murder of John Lennon in December 1980.
In the wake of Lennon’s death, a tighter grip was placed around the throat of horror movies. My Bloody Valentine remains the starkest example of the desecration of artistic endeavour by self-appointed bastions of good taste. In this case, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) sought to excise so much of George Mihalka’s movie that it was, according to producer John Dunning, “cut to ribbons“.
A full year before, however, another film of Canadian parentage found its way into cinemas and became one of the first in a conveyor belt of slasher movies that despite a number of peaks and troughs has never really gone away. Following Halloween‘s stratospheric rise from small independent horror to the status of slasher film by which all future slasher films will forever be measured a number of enterprising producers and directors were inspired to try their hand at capturing lightning in a bottle, just like John Carpenter, who’d shown that movies could be made cheaply, without the need for expensive special effects or stars (Donald Pleasance notwithstanding) and still strike gold at the box office.
    Things started slowly. By the end of 1979 only a handful of movies from the burgeoning slasher sub-genre had been produced. Tourist Trap, When a Stranger Calls and Savage Weekend were three examples that varied wildly in terms of quality and commercial success. Within a year, the number of slasher films in production had more than doubled and the gravy train was in full flow. Among those was Prom Night, which achieved immediate distinction by casting Jamie Lee Curtis, fresh from filming her sophomore movie, The Fog, and well on her way to confirming her position as the ‘scream queen’.
Yet, Prom Night fits somewhat uncomfortably into the slasher pantheon. Part horror movie, part melodrama, it’s closer to The Prowler in tone than Friday the 13th, but lacks the sheer brutality of its contemporaries: a curious decision for a film conceived in the first place to exploit the public’s desire for such fare.
It certainly conforms to classic slasher tropes; threatening phone calls, teens-in-peril, sex equating death, and the sins of the past coming back to haunt the guilty. While a number of films ultimately improved upon the execution of these staples, Prom Night certainly arrived on the scene earlier than most, having only been preceded by Friday the 13th by a couple of months.
youtube
    But is Prom Night a classic? Does it deserve a place at the slasher movie top table?  If not, where does it fit in the pantheon? Well, that would depend entirely upon your point-of-view. If, like me, it represents a more innocent and nostalgic movie-viewing time (if watching a bunch of teens being butchered can be deemed nostalgic) then yes, it sits comfortably in the top 10. To say it’s dated would be a huge understatement; the disco scene alone is worthy of a chuckle or two, as is some of the fashion, but it’s certainly retains some emotional resonance, particularly in the final reveal.
Some movies are rightly regarded as important works of art, which may be due to how they tackle a particular theme or the context within which they exist. What elevates a movie’s importance is the way they work to advance the medium and/or stretch the boundaries of the genre in which they exist. Prom Night does none of these things. But that doesn’t make it any less important to me. Yes, I can watch it now with a more critical, world-weary eye and dismiss certain aspects previously viewed as the height of originality. For example, I now connect the dots from Billy’s intensely unsettling phone calls in Black Christmas to the hoarsely whispered threats in Prom Night, or the clear homage it pays to Carrie, with its prom night denouement, albeit minus the tension that made De Palma’s film so essential.
That’s not to say that Prom Night doesn’t have moments that eschew the more ubiquitous slasher traditions. It’s certainly lacking in the classic final girl department. While Jamie Lee Curtis does survive, so does her boyfriend (albeit due to her handiness with an axe) but she’s more final girl-lite than final girl proper. And then there’s the killer. Homicidal, certainly, but in no way the ostensibly mindless killer of Madman or Hell Night, more a vengeance-seeking, ultimately sympathetic character.
    Unsurprisingly it was a critical bomb. Gene Siskel, an outspoken opponent of the slasher movie did demonstrate, while damning with faint praise, the difference between Prom Night and many of its contemporaries: “You would think that Prom Night was another one of those hideous attacks-on-promiscuous-women pictures. It’s not. Gender makes no difference in this routine revenge film.”  For the teenage version of me, Prom Night was the perfect fodder as an early entry into the slasher genre, a kind of John Carpenter/John Hughes hybrid murder mystery. Fun, but forgettable.
Prom Night is nothing more or less than a good time (with a downbeat finale). It conforms to most, though not all, slasher conventions and doesn’t presume to be anything more than the sum of its parts. The inclusion of instantly datable fare, from the music to the fashion informs the viewer that Prom Night had no intention of being anything more than a one night stand, a ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am‘ type of movie, and that’s why it’s a perennial favourite.
The teenage me would watch the credits roll on the movie as the rain outside continued to pour, briefly wondering what was so great about prom nights anyway. Then I’d rewind the film and press play again.
  The post PROM NIGHT, Everything is Alright! The Golden Age of Slasher Classic appeared first on Nightmare on Film Street - Horror Movie Podcast, News and Reviews.
from WordPress https://nofspodcast.com/prom-night-everything-is-alright-the-golden-age-of-slasher-classic-at-38-july-18/ via IFTTT
1 note · View note
narcisisto-archive · 6 years
Text
so i’m trying to think of a dark souls verse, and it all makes sense to me. here’s why i chose what i chose. read more since it’s long.
IDK WHY I’M POSTING THIS BUT I NEED IT SOMEWHERE SO HERE I AM
DEMACIA = FOROSSA
forossa lies to the east of drangleic and homes the order of the lion knights. those in forossa worshipped a war god called faraam, and the armor forossa’s knights wore was blessed by the god himself. they were known for their heavy armor and two-handed weapon techniques.
leading the forossan warriors into battle were great sages who earned their title through completing a great journey of hardship. eventually forossa fell apart due to a prolonged conflict with its neighbors, and the kingdom fell to war.
WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS AS DEMACIA?
because it makes sense to me. the ‘sages’ would be mages in demacia who had to go through many hardships to prove to its kingdom that they could contain their power and use it for good, as demacia frowns upon magic in general. they also had conflict with a neighboring kingdom, and it’s such a demacian thing to have the god they worshipped bless the armor of their knights. also have you seen the faraam set? it’s such a demacian aesthetic.
NOXUS = LOTHRIC
lothric is a monarchy, and slavery is commonplace where the king’s subjects have no consideration for them. the knights, however, were once drake hunters who later learned how to tame them. lothric knights were traditionally known as fierce defenders of their homeland; their drakes gave them an edge in battle. lothric was a kingdom that sought to keep some semblance of order, and would go and seize falling kingdoms.
however, as time went on and the kingdom delved into war, the kingdom is in apparent ruin. all of the inhabitants have reduced to hollows, and the courtyards and castle pathways are littered with the remains of deceased knights and soldiers which indicated a great battle that had taken place in the past. the few knights that remain have gone hollow and are very hostile. the kingdom also suffers from an infestation of pus of man, which are hollows that have been corrupted by the abyss. they are consumed by black tentacles and transform into horrific abominations with claw-like appendages and red-eyed serpentine heads.
WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS AS NOXUS?
because aside from canon saying that noxus was known to tame drakes, lothric also follows the expansionist ideal that noxus has. while lothric does it when a kingdom is falling to ruin, noxus does it for the betterment of the empire, both of which can tie in here. it also makes sense that, should noxus come to an end, i feel like most of its soldiers would still linger in one way or another.
also considering that lothric’s knights suffer from an abyss-caused infection and those that linger are hollows, it’s safe to assume that noxus would lose a prolonged invasion from the shadow isles. perhaps they attempted to regain control of the immortal bastion, and it awakened a hidden power --- this can be connected with the abyss, and why most of the kingdom would fall to ruin and whoever remains is infected.
but it’s also such a noxian thing to keep fighting after death somehow, plus the armor is kind of noxian if they had more traditional knight armor.
sorry there’s more lore on lothric than forossa, since lothric is the setting of DSIII and forossa is kind of a side kingdom. so while the faraam set SCREAMS draven, i’d have to say he at least originated in lothric. what’s in store for him after is unknown, but i do have to take into account the executioner’s chariot boss in DSII and how there were executioners in the DS universe. it’ll be interesting.
2 notes · View notes
thetravelinggecko · 4 years
Video
The Women of Kathakali - Kochi, Kerala
Kathakali (literally translated as story-play) is a highly stylised classical drama which evolved to its present form sometime in the 16th-17th Century CE, around the same time that Shakespeare was writing his plays in London. The switch in storytelling from Sanskrit to Sanskritized Malayalam took Kathakali to the masses and it spread far and wide, and today it is synonymous with the cultural heritage of Kerala.
Thus did Kathakali as an individual style of dance-drama emerge as ‘people’s theatre’ from the traditional dances of the past. The plays were performed by the Rajah’s own company of actors not only in temples and courts but from village to village and house to house. The new art form (called ‘Ramanattam’ - ‘”Rama” from the Ramayana and ”attam” meaning dance) soon became very popular all over the Malayalam speaking area. The feudal chieftains of Malabar (as the area was then called) began to vie with one another in their efforts to produce the best Kathakali troupes, and this competition contributed to the rapid development of the art in a very short period. One important result of this development was the composition by the Rajah of Kottayam, in North Malabar, of four plays in verse based on stories from the more colourful Hindu epic, Mahabharata. These are regarded by many connoisseurs as the best examples of Kathakali literature.”
(The above excerpt is from the book “A Guide to Kathakali” by David Bolland.)
The bright and colourful make-up, flowing costumes, percussion music, coordinated hand and eye movements of the artistes, have always appealed to both locals as well as tourists. However, most viewers tend to disconnect once the performance has started. This is largely because of the lack of understanding of: 1. The Language - which is  Sanskritized Malayalam 2. The Story - from the Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana.
The real thrill of watching a Kathakali performance however is when it is conducted open-air. They start late in the evening and continue until dawn. As night falls, the shadow effect created by the lone, tall, oil lamp and the reverberation of the music and the open air setting makes for a thrilling experience. The stories on which Kathakali is performed has also evolved. In recent times “The life of Jesus Christ” and “Shakespeare’s Othello” was performed by Kathakali artistes. This is a very good trend and will help Kathakali become a more global art form.
The Kathakali artistes don’t speak heir dialogues they only communicate through mudras (hand gestures) and facial expressions what the singers sing in the background. The artiste uses the mudras to explain each and every word sung by the singer, which we can pick up if we pay close attention. The make-up of the character also reveals the role played and helps in connecting with the story-line, see images and accompanying text above.
Kathakali had been an all-male art form for a very long time, with even women characters being portrayed by men. In a State which is known for its high female to male ratio, matrilineal lineage and high literacy rates, entry barriers for women into the Arts were high.
Our Women of Kathakali in Kochi, Kerala, is a special interest tour that offers an unique opportunity to meet a group of highly spirited women Kathakali artistes who broke through the male bastion, excelled in the art and made a mark for themselves. They share with us their inspiring journey of starting an all women Kathakali troupe while alongside explaining the different elements of this fascinating art form- its stories, language, costumes, music, training, mythology, et al. The interaction ends with a brief lecture-demonstration without any make-up or costume. 
For more details write to us at [email protected] or call +91 99404 58435.
0 notes