#invocation of the elements

[cerulapis]

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Elemental-astrological talismans, a cost-effective talisman work with stones.

Before we get into the astrological unwell weather full of eclipses, mercury retrograde, and mars-saturn conjunction I want to take this period to propose the topic I have been thinking about personally in my head. Mainly that (1) I am not very good at engraving figures on precious metals for talismanic magic and (2) finding the proper method of consecration.

The whole story started around 2019 when I was walking with my friend on the side of the road and he told me "hey this magic stuff is fantastic but show me if it really works", I held a random stone on the side of the road, willed solar energy to go into it for 5 or 10 minutes and gave it to my friend who kept it at his store for 3 months and with each passing month his profit kept going down, what in the end? he threw it at a palm tree and it died in less than a month or so.

That lesson of the story is that don't enchant or consecrate stuff randomly, but there's more to it when I used to use this anecdote as funny story to tell my friends. If a random stone laying around can be consecrated that easily then it is possible with proper spirits overseeing the operation AND timing it is possible to make something similar to the astrological talismans with less "heavy-lifting" on the right sunthemata and planet.

A bit the current post is low on the practical aspect of it, but I think I gave enough food for thoughts for people to work it out with, no? I will hopefully report my finding if it is a viable or a non-viable option by end of April or May.

Starting from now until end of April I will be out and unavailable, so sadly I won't be able to tell or speak here. Take care until then :)

[nexusofsorcery]

Learn How To Properly Cast A Circle

How to Cast a Circle: A Step-by-Step Guide to Witchcraft Are you interested in practicing witchcraft and want to learn how to cast a circle? Casting a circle is a fundamental technique in witchcraft that helps create sacred space for rituals, spells, and other magical workings. In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of casting a circle, providing you with all the…

[septembersghost]

I just don't understand why she keeps doing things blatantly for PR she doesn't need. She's had good press lately, she's fine. There's no way to believe she's actually interested in this man. She's one of the biggest stars in the world, it's giving pathetic and desperate 😭

[fishareglorious]

Tcg is incredibly addicting ngl. It’s a great way to pass the time when you’ve finished your comms and burned up all your resin.

[rabbettspoet]

Please like, share, comment, credit please 💗

[clonecoding-en]

Invoke JavaScript Functions with <a href>

Enhance Web Functionality with <a href> JavaScript Invocation

This informative article sheds light on the powerful technique of triggering JavaScript functions using the commonly known <a href> element. While traditionally used for hyperlinks, this HTML element can also be harnessed to execute JavaScript functions seamlessly. The article provides clear examples and code snippets that enable developers to grasp this practice and integrate it effectively into their projects.

As the web development landscape evolves, incorporating JavaScript function invocation through <a href> offers developers intriguing possibilities. The article not only demonstrates how to implement this technique but also offers insights into its potential concerns, such as user experience considerations and the impact on disabled JavaScript. By striking a balance between the convenience of <a href> and maintaining a smooth user experience, developers can leverage this technique to optimize their projects' functionality and user interaction.

[comicaurora]

I'm sorry that the terfs made their way onto your blog but it does feel good to see you support trans people. Thank you for that

Always.

I think, charitably, that the discourse going down on that post is an extrapolation and over-focus on one element of the point I was making: that for me, determining with certainty that I was cis was a rather fraught process. I was presented with many alternatives, but underlying their imposition on me was the oddly regressive idea that the things I liked, the principles I valued, the parts of myself I was proud of were not permitted of women. My whole life I got smacked with the background radiation that I couldn't like being strong because women aren't allowed to be stronger than men. I couldn't like being loud and boistrous because women aren't allowed to take up space. I couldn't be a math geek because women aren't smart. It was all deeply regressive misogyny from day one, but I started getting hit with it slathered in a fresh coat of paint - all those assumptions still held to be true, but now there was the out that I could do all those things if I just wasn't a woman.

Concluding that the underlying bioessentialist premise was wrong was very important. Absolutely none of those statements were true, and were only ever maintained by cultural saturation, goalpost-readjustment when they were actively disproven, and the occasional bout of lying with statistics to pretend they weren't just Shit All The Way Down. The core premise that certain things were only permitted of or possible for men was bullshit, and I didn't need to surrender the gender I liked best in order to play in the spaces I wanted to. I could simply exist the way I was already existing. I didn't need anything else.

The misinterpretation is the assumption that this being true of me means this is everybody's relationship with gender. I turned out to be cis, so for me, feeling that holding onto my assigned gender wasn't allowed was distressing - just another invocation of the same bioessentialist bullshit I'd been dealing with since the preschool playground. This is because misgendering is fundamentally denying that a person has the right to express themself the way they want. When aimed at me, it says I'm not performing traditional femininity well enough to deserve my pronouns. The same disrespect is the root of misgendering when aimed at trans people. "Perform your gender to my satisfaction or I will confiscate it."

The problem is, bioessentialism is 100% ingrained into the terf playbook, which is why, for instance, all their shitty talking points about trans athletes eventually boil down to "no woman can ever defeat a man in any contest because we are simply naturally weak and stupid and there is nothing we can do about it" and quite frankly nothing disgusts me more than the defeatist acceptance of the very lie that feminism is dedicated to overcoming. Instead of accepting that the paradigm of bioessentialism is a false dichotomy right from the jump, they embrace and weaponize it against the people whose existence proves the dichotomy is a lie. If gender essentialism is fundamentally false, then it is nobody's fucking business what anybody does with their gender. If the lines don't exist, nobody needs to enforce them. And yet there the terfs go, hunting down people whose lives are none of their business and trying to argue that they represent some great and terrible evil, some downfall of society made flesh, something that makes it totally correct and normal for them to spend so much time thinking about strangers' genitalia. They want this to be a noble crusade so badly they won't even examine what flag they're flying.

I love and support the trans people in my life and will always, always stand on the side of your right to exist, but alongside that, terf rhetoric especially disgusts and infuriates me because it is, at its heart, utter cowardice. The world told them they were weak and stupid and inferior and they fucking believed it. And now they think Fighting The Good Fight For Women means turning around and using the same paradigmatic weapon that hurt them to hurt the people whose existence outside the binary proves the weapon is a lie. They're the same shithead schoolyard bullies who made me believe my entire existence was foundationally wrong for years of my life and I will never, ever side with them or the shitty, cowardly rhetoric that contributed to the loneliest years of my life.

Figure out who you are and do it on purpose. Find the real source of the misery in your life and try fighting that instead of the other crabs in the bucket. Trans rights.

[hexora]

15 Grimoire Page Ideas That Aren't Basic

Chronomancy Correspondences:

Explore the connection between time and magic, including auspicious moments for spellcasting, planetary hours, and lunar phases.

Echoes of Enchantment:

Discuss the use of echoes and resonance in magical workings, tapping into the vibrational frequencies of words, symbols, and intentions.

Liminal Spaces Invocation:

Explore the magical potency of liminal spaces—thresholds, crossroads, and in-between places—and how to invoke their energies.

Numinous Nectar Elixirs:

Detail the creation of magical elixirs using rare and ethereal substances, discussing their uses in rituals and ceremonies.

Quantum Sigilcraft:

Delve into the intersection of quantum physics and sigil magic, exploring the idea that consciousness can influence reality at a fundamental level.

Astral Alphabets:

Introduce lesser-known alphabets or symbolic systems used in astral travel and communication with otherworldly entities.

Dreamweaving Spells:

Discuss the art of crafting spells that are specifically designed to be cast within the dream realm, influencing waking reality.

Candle Color Alchemy:

Explore the magical properties of less common candle colors and their associations with specific intentions, emotions, and energies.

Chthonic Charms:

Focus on charms and talismans specifically attuned to underworld energies and deities, connecting with the mysteries of the subterranean realms.

Technomancy Scripts:

Examine the use of coding languages, digital symbols, and technology-based sigils in modern magical practice.

Quantum Familiars:

Explore the idea of spirit companions that exist beyond the constraints of time and space, bridging the gap between the metaphysical and quantum realms.

Sacred Geometry of Sound:

Investigate the use of sound frequencies and sacred geometry in combination, exploring how they can enhance magical rituals and spellcasting.

Ephemeral Elementals:

Discuss the existence and interaction with elementals that are tied to fleeting or ephemeral elements, such as mist, shadows, or reflections.

Psychotronic Crystals:

Explore the use of crystals not only for their physical properties but also for their alleged ability to interact with psychic and spiritual energies.

Aetheric Anatomy Cleansing:

Detail practices for cleansing and balancing the aetheric body, exploring lesser-known energy centers and channels.

[diana-thyme]

The Ultimate Grimoire Guide

So! I have been seeing a ton of grimoire ideas and thought I’d stuff them all together. A lot of ideas are from @manifestationsofasort, @banebite, and @pigeonflavouredcake. Check them out! They have a ton of cool stuff there.

What Do I Use For My Grimoire?

You can use anything for a grimoire! For a physical one, journals, binders, and notebooks are good. For digital ones, Notion, Tumblr, Docs, and even just your file folder are great.

Introduction

A Book Blessing

Table of Contents

About Me

Your Current Path

Your Personal Beliefs

Your Spiritual Journey

Superstitions

Past lives

Favorite Herbs/Crystals/Animals/Etc.

Natal Chart

Craft Name

How You Entered The Craft

Astrology Signs

Birthday Correspondences (birth tarot card, birth stone, etc.)

Goals

Safety

Fire Safety

What Not to Burn

Toxic Plants & Oils (to humans, plants, animals)

Crystals That Shouldn’t Be Put… (in sun, in water, etc.)

Things That Shouldn’t Be In Nature (glass, salt, etc.)

Potion Safety

How to Incorporate Blood in Spells

Smoke Safety

Wound Care

Biohazards

Core Concepts

Intention & How It Works

Directing Energy

Protection

Banishing

Cleansing

Binding

Charging

Shielding

Grounding

Centering

Visualization

Consecration/Blessing

Warding

Enchanting

Manifestation

Meditation

What Makes A Spell Work

Basic Spell Structure

What Not To Do In Spells

Disposing Spell Ingredients

Revitalizing Long Term Spells

How To Cast Spells

What To Put In Spells

Spell Mediums (jars, spoken, candle, sigils)

Spell Timing

Potion Bases

Differentiating Between Magick and Mundane

Common Terms

Common Symbols

Intuition

Elements

Basic Alchemy and Symbols

Ways To Break Spells

Laws and Philosophies

Correspondences

Herbs & Spices

Crystals & Rocks

Colors

Liquids & Drinks

Metals

Numbers

Tarot Cards

Elements

Trees & Woods

Flowers

Days

Months

Seasons

Moon Phases

Zodiacs

Planets

Incense

Teas

Essential Oils

Directions

Animals

Symbology

Bone Correspondences

Different Types of Water

Common Plants

Entities

Deities You Worship

Pantheons

Pantheons & Deities Closed to You

Common Offerings

Epithets

Mythos

Family

Worship vs Work

Prayers & Prayer Template

Altars

Deity Comms

Devotional Acts

Angels

Demons

Ancestors

Spirit Guides

Fae

Familiars

House, Animal, Plant, Etc. Spirits

Folklore Entities

Spirit Etiquette

Graveyard Etiquette

Boundaries

Communication Guide & Etiquette

Spirit Work Safety Guide

How Entities Appear To You

Circle Casting

Common Offerings

Altars

Servitors

Mythological Creatures (dragons, gorgons, etc.)

Utility Pages

Gazing Pages

Sigil Charging Station

Altar Pages

Intent Pages

Getaway Pages

Vision Boards

Dream Pages

Binding Page

Pendulum Board

Crystal Grid

Throwing Bones Page

Divination Pages

Mirror Gazing Page

Invocation Pages

Affirmation/Manifestation Pages

Spirit Board Page

Other Practices

Practices That Are Closed to You (Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria, Brujeria, Shamanism, Native Practices)

Wicca and Wiccan Paths

Satanism, Both Theistic and Non-Theistic

Deity Work

Religious Paths (Hellenism, Christianity, Kemeticism, etc.)

Animism

Types of Magic/Spells

Pop Culture Paganism/Magic

Tech Magic

Chaos Magic

Green Magic

Lunar Magic

Solar Magic

Sea Magic

Kitchen Magic

Ceremonial Magic

Hedge Magic

Death Magic

Gray Magic

Eclectic Magic

Elemental Magic

Fae Magic

Spirit Magic

Candle Magic

Crystal Magic

Herbalism

Glamours

Hexes

Jinxes

Curses

Weather Magic

Astral Magic

Shadow Work

Energy Work

Sigils

Art Magic

Knot Magic

Music Magic

Blood Magic

Bath Magic

Affirmations

Divination

Tarot Cards

Oracle Cards

Playing Cards

Card Spreads

Pendulum

Numerology

Scrying

Palmistry

Tasseography

Runes

Shufflemancy

Dice

Bibliomancy

Carromancy

Pyromancy

Psychic Abilities

Astrology

Auras

Lenormand

Sacred Geometry

Angel Numbers

Ornithomancy

Aeromancy

Aleuromancy

Axinomancy

Belomancy

Hydromancy

Lecanomancy

Necromancy

Oneiromancy

Onomancy

Oomancy

Phyllomancy

Psephomancy

Rhabdomancy

Xylomancy

Tools

Crystal grid

Candle grid

Charms

Talismans

Amulets

Taglocks

Wand

Broom

Athame

Boline

Cingulum

Stang

Bells

Drums

Staffs

Chalices

Cauldrons

Witches Ladder

Poppets

Holidays

Yule

Imbolc

Ostara

Beltane

Litha

Lammas

Mabon

Samhain

Esbats

Deity Specific Holidays

Religious Holidays (Christmas, Easter, Dionysia, etc.)

Celestial Events

Altars

Basics of Altars

Travel Altars

Deity Altars

Spirit Altars

Familiar Altars

Ancestor Altars

Self Altars

Working Altars

Self-Care

Burnout Prevention

Aromatherapy

Stress Management

Coping Mechanisms

Theories & History

Witchcraft history

Paganism

New Age Spirituality

Cultural Appropriation

Thelema

Conspiracy Theories

Cults

Satanic Panic

KJV

Witches in History

Cats in History

Transphobia in Witchcraft Circles

Queerness in Witchcraft Circles

Other

Recipes

How to Get Herbs

Foraging

Drying Herbs and Flowers

Chakras

Reiki

Witches Alphabet

Runic Alphabet

Guide to Gardening

Your Witch Tips

Resources

Other Tips

List of Spells

Cryptids and Their Lore

What is a Liminal Space?

[taking-thyme]

The Structure of a Pagan Prayer

When appealing to a deity or making an offering, it’s wise to know how this was traditionally done in the past so you can be as respectful as possible and build a true reciprocity with the gods. This type of prayer structure is found in all manner of pagan religions from Norse paganism, Hellenic (Greek) polytheism, Kemetic (Egyptian) prayer and so on. I got the inspiration and much of the information here from @Ocean Keltoi on Youtube who is a fantastic scholar and Norse heathen who actively stands against prejudice and is all around a wonderful resource. 

Now, there are three main elements of a pagan prayer, which should be done in this order:

1. The Invocation. This is where you call upon the specific god you’re hoping to connect with. Think of it as writing the name and address on your letter to the Gods - it lets the deity know that this prayer is directed at them, which is important in a polytheistic religion with many gods. To start your invocation, address the deity directly by name, or use an epithet or kenning that they're known by. It's especially wise to choose an epithet that relates to what you're praying for, like using one of Apollo's healer epithets while addressing him in a prayer about a loved one's sickness,  for instance. It’s also a good idea to praise them highly and with a certain air of reverence. These are ancient deities after all. 

2. The Argument. Here you give your reasons for why a deity should fulfill your request and favor you. If you’ve brought offerings, cite them here. You can also include reasons for why you’re reaching out, such as love in a prayer for Aphrodite or matters of justice with the god Tyr. This is where you make your case to them. And if you’re reaching out to a deity you don’t have a working relationship with, which let’s be honest will be the case many more times than we’d like, then you can tell them this here also. A good example might be “Oh Tyr, one-handed war god and son of Odin, though we have not met before I have heard your name and been called to it…”

3. The Request. Finally you ask the gods to look kindly on your request and to grant you their blessing. Again, be as respectful and reverent as possible towards them. 

Prayer Example: “Grey-eyed Athena, daughter of thundering Zeus, if ever I have poured out sweet wine for you, look kindly on me and grant me your wisdom.”

How to stand when making the prayer

This depends on which God you’re reaching out to and, of course, your own personal comfort. The most common ways of praying are to stand and perform some gesture of reverence, kneel while praying and even prostrate, kneeling fully on the ground with your head down as you appeal to the gods. Some might also choose to wear veils when performing prayers or rituals for deities, though this is naturally up to the individual. 

In Hellenic tradition, if you’re praying to an Ouranic god (deities of the heavens) you would traditionally wear your hair up and stand with your arms raised to the heavens while reciting your prayer. Meanwhile, if you are praying to a Chthonic god (deities of the underworld), you would kneel and face downwards towards the Earth with your hair flowing freely. 

Some Norse sources tell of ancient pagans prostrating before the gods, and yet this is still not entirely necessary. Pray however you see fit and what is most comfortable for you at the moment. 

^ This is what prostrating looks like

Sources:

Ocean Keltoi's video on pagan prayers

Hearth and Fire Work's blog post on Hellenic prayer structure

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Two Worlds Aflame, the Crimson Night Fades" Version 4.6 Update Details

Dear Travelers,

Below are the details of the Version 4.6 update "Two Worlds Aflame, the Crimson Night Fades" and the update compensation.

〓Compensation Details〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300 (60 Primogems per hour the servers are down)

Issue Fix Compensation: Primogems ×300 (please refer to the relevant compensation mail for more details)

〓Scope of Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/04/24 06:00 (UTC+8).

Compensation must be claimed before the end of Version 4.6.

Issue Fix Compensation: Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2024/04/24 06:00 (UTC+8).

Please log in and claim your compensation before 2024/04/27 06:00 (UTC+8).

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2024/04/24 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen.

PS5™ and PS4™: Highlight Genshin Impact from the Home Screen, press the OPTIONS button and select "Check for Update."

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Update Details〓

I. New Areas

New Areas Now Available

◇ In Version 4.6, the following areas in Fontaine will become available: Nostoi Region and Sea of Bygone Eras.

※ As long as you have completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom," a Teleport Waypoint will be automatically unlocked near Fontaine's Petrichor (If you have already completed this Archon Quest, the Teleport Waypoint will be unlocked after the update). You'll also receive the Primogem reward for this Teleport Waypoint when it unlocks automatically.

There will be new Fishing Points and "Radiant Spincrystals" in Fontaine.

In addition, the new area "Bayda Harbor" will be added to Lokapala Jungle in Sumeru.

II. New Character

5-Star Character "Dire Balemoon" Arlecchino (Pyro)

◇ Vision: Pyro

◇ Weapon: Polearm

◇ "The Knave," Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers. A poised, ruthless diplomat. To the children in the House of the Hearth, she is their feared yet dependable "Father."

◆ Arlecchino can utilize her Bond of Life to enhance her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks, dealing Pyro DMG.

◆ Elemental Skill "All Is Ash"

◆ Deals Pyro DMG to multiple nearby opponents and applies Blood-Debt Directives to them. Blood-Debt Directives deal Pyro DMG to opponents at regular intervals. When Arlecchino uses a Charged Attack or her Elemental Burst "Balemoon Rising," she will absorb Blood-Debt Directives, which grants her a certain amount of Bond of Life.

◆ Elemental Burst "Balemoon Rising"

◆ Arlecchino's great wing of Balemoon Bloodfire beats as she absorbs and clears Blood-Debt Directives applied to opponents around her. She deals AoE Pyro DMG before clearing the CD of All Is Ash and healing herself. The healing is based on her Bond of Life value and ATK.

III. New Equipment

1. New Weapon (Examples based on Refinement Rank 1)

Crimson Moon's Semblance (5-Star Polearm)

Grants a Bond of Life equal to 25% of Max HP when a Charged Attack hits an opponent. This effect can be triggered up to once every 14s. In addition, when the equipping character has a Bond of Life, they gain a 12% DMG Bonus; if the value of the Bond of Life is greater than or equal to 30% of Max HP, then gain an additional 24% DMG Bonus.

◆ During the event wish "Epitome Invocation," the event-exclusive 5-star weapon Crimson Moon's Semblance (Polearm) will receive a huge drop-rate boost!

2. New Artifact Sets

Unfinished Reverie (4-Star and 5-Star)

◇ 2-Piece Set: ATK +18%.

◇ 4-Piece Set: After leaving combat for 3s, DMG dealt increased by 50%. In combat, if no Burning opponents are nearby for more than 6s, this DMG Bonus will decrease by 10% per second until it reaches 0%. When a Burning opponent exists, it will increase by 10% instead until it reaches 50%. This effect still triggers if the equipping character is off-field.

Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy (4-Star and 5-Star)

◇ 2-Piece Set: ATK +18%.

◇ 4-Piece Set: When the value of a Bond of Life increases or decreases, this character deals 18% increased DMG for 6s. Max 3 stacks.

IV. New Domain

Domain of Blessing: Faded Theater

◇ Under the direction of an immortal musician, a certain ancient troupe once performed the elegies of an ancient civilization. With the passage of time, the ancient plays became legend. Legend became myth. ...Until one day, by chance, it was deliberately picked up once more, and became the prelude to a new dream.

◇ Unlock Criteria (satisfy any one of the criteria below to unlock):

• Reach Adventure Rank 22 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom"

◆ Challenge the Domain to obtain artifacts in the "Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy" and "Unfinished Reverie" sets.

V. New Main Story

1. New Story Quests

Arlecchino's Story Quest - Ignis Purgatorius Chapter: Act I "When the Hearth-Flame Goes Out"

Permanently available after the Version 4.6 update

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter IV: Act V "Masquerade of the Guilty"

Cyno's Story Quest - Lupus Aureus Chapter: Act II "Oathkeeper"

Permanently available after 2024/05/14 18:00

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Reach Adventure Rank 40 or above

• Complete Archon Quest Chapter III: Act V "Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises"

• Complete Cyno's Story Quest - Lupus Aureus Chapter: Act I "Sands of Solitude"

2. New World Quests

New World Quests

"Canticles of Harmony" Quest Chain, "For Yesterday and Tomorrow," "Latecoming Homecoming," "Where His Life Lies," "Daydreams Beyond Space and Time," etc.

VI. New Enemies

"The Knave"

◇ Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers.

The Knave will apply Bonds of Life to characters. After clearing a Bond of Life, characters in your party will unleash a Scarlet Nighttide the next time one of their Charged Attacks hit The Knave. This attack can interrupt some of The Knave's attacks, including Bloodtide Banquet. Some of The Knave's attacks will consume her own HP, and when these attacks hit a character, they will restore her own HP and apply a Bond of Life to the character; if the character hit already has a Bond of Life, the DMG dealt by the attack will be increased yet more.

Located in the Liffey Region

Legatus Golem

◇ This ancient Legatus Golem uses its sturdy marble body to defend against attack while using music and searing flames to obliterate its foes.

Use methods suited to dealing with Geo to break through its defenses. Apart from this, it will also set up resonators in combat that will assist its attacks. Destroy these resonators to deplete its shielding effectively.

Located in the Nostoi Region

Praetorian Golem

◇ An ancient golem infused with will that uses its resilient marble body in battle.

Use methods suited to dealing with Geo to effectively defeat its defenses.

New Recipe:

○ Café Lutece, Fontaine: Bulle Souffle

New Character Specialty Dish:

○ Arlecchino's specialty: "Hearthfire's Trail"

Adds new "Rhapsodia in the Ancient Sea" and "Challenger: Series IX" Achievement categories, and adds new Achievements to the "Wonders of the World" category.

Adds Set 31 of "Paimon's Paintings" chat emojis.

Adds some prompts for loading screens.

New Namecards:

"Arlecchino: Edict": Reward for reaching Friendship Lv. 10 with Arlecchino

"Fontaine: Attunement": Reward for completing all achievements under "Rhapsodia in the Ancient Sea"

"Achievement: Whalewrangler": Reward for completing all achievements under "Challenger: Series IX"

"Fontaine: Lucine": Reward for reaching Fountain of Lucine Favor Level 48

"Travel Notes: The Realms Rocked": Reward obtained via the BP system

Adds 17 World Quest-related avatars that will be unlocked after completing World Quests in accordance with the corresponding unlock criteria (Refer to "Paimon Menu > Change Avatar" in-game for the specific unlock criteria. For Travelers who have already completed the corresponding World Quests before the version update, the corresponding avatars will be automatically unlocked after the version update.)

Fountain of Lucine: Increase in the Level Cap of Fountain of Lucine to Level 50. After the Fountain of Lucine reaches its maximum level, Hydro Sigils can be exchanged with Mequignon at Bertin's House of Curiosities.

Adds the "Focused Experience Mode" function:

(1) This function can be enabled for certain quests in the "Quest" menu. Once enabled, Travelers can prevent locations and characters involved in said quest from being occupied by other quests, which improves the experience of the current quest.

(2) Function Access Unlock Criteria: Complete Archon Quest Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom"

(3) In Version 4.6, the "Focused Experience Mode" function will be available for Arlecchino's Story Quest - Ignis Purgatorius Chapter: Act I "When the Hearth-Flame Goes Out." The "Focused Experience Mode" function will gradually be made available for more quests in subsequent versions.

"Genius Invokation TCG" Gameplay Update:

New Character Cards: Kuki Shinobu, Faruzan, and their corresponding Talent cards. Corresponding invitation duels and guest challenges have been added to the Player List.

New Character Cards: Emperor of Fire and Iron, Abyss Herald: Wicked Torrents, and the corresponding Talent Cards. The Tavern Challenge has also been added.

New Action Cards: "Rightful Reward," "Amethyst Crown," "Taroumaru," "The White Glove and the Fisherman," "Seirai Island," "Rainbow Macarons," and "Underwater Treasure Hunt" can be purchased from Prince at The Cat's Tail.

The Forge Realm's Temper is once again available. The theme of this edition is "The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits":

(1) During The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits, some stages will have special victory and defeat conditions. Adeptly adapt your tactics to complete the challenge and avoid the conditions for defeat!

(2) Within The Forge Realm's Temper: Game of Wits event stages, there will also be special rules that can easily exert influence on the tempo of the match. Fully utilizing these special rules will contribute greatly to your success.

Spiral Abyss

Floor 11 Ley Line Disorder changed to:

• All party members receive a 75% Pyro DMG Bonus.

Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 4.6, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows:

Phase I:

Flame-Fanning Moon

When a character triggers Vaporize, Overloaded, Melt, Burning, Burgeon, Pyro Swirl, or Pyro Crystallize reactions on an opponent, the opponent's All Elemental RES and Physical RES is reduced by 30% for 4s.

Phase II:

Valorous Moon

When a character receives healing, the character's ATK increases by 50% for 3s.

Phase III:

Tactical Moon

When a character's HP value increases or decreases, that character gains a 16% increased All Elemental and Physical DMG Bonus for 8s. This effect can stack up to 3 times, and the duration of each stack is counted independently.

〓Adjustments & Optimizations〓

● Exploration

On the Tutorials screen, adventure tutorials related to the current area will be displayed nearer to the top.

Optimizes the performance of the Treasure Compass feature: Nearby treasure chests will now be marked on the map after using the Treasure Compass, and opening treasure chests marked out on the map during the Treasure Compass's cooldown time will reset its cooldown.

● Map

Combines the "Domains only" and "Search for Players" options under the "Map Settings" button on the map interface.

Adds the "Custom Markers," "Controller > Cursor Sensitivity," and "Controller > Marker Sensitivity Range" settings under the "Map Settings" button on the map interface.

Optimizes the design of the buttons for switching between different regions on the map interface.

● Quests

Adds another button for important quest items related to certain quests in the Quest Menu.

When you are navigating to a quest objective, an icon for important quest items related to the current quest will now be displayed within the Inventory.

Updates the icon for Requests in the Quest Menu.

● Adventurer Handbook

Adjusts the criteria for unlocking different chapters in "Adventurer Handbook > Experience": Simply reach a certain Adventure Rank to unlock the next chapter. You no longer need to complete the previous chapter.

Adds missions for enhancing Prototype Rancour and Favonius Warbow to Lv. 60 in "Adventurer Handbook > Embattle."

Adds missions related to enhancing Artifacts in "Adventurer Handbook > Embattle."

● Serenitea Pot

Adds the "Quick Obtain" function on the Replica > Preview screen as well as the Furnishing Set screen in Editing Mode: You can use this function to quickly purchase the Furnishings/Furnishing Blueprints that you need from the Realm Depot, or add the Furnishings that need to be created to the "Queued List."

Adds the "Queued List" function on the Create Furnishing > Creation Queue screen. This will record your Furnishing creation requests from using "Quick Obtain" and tell you which materials they require. It can also be used to quickly add Furnishings that are waiting to be made to the Creation Queue.

Adds the "Obtain All" function on the Create Furnishing > Creation Queue screen. You can use this function to obtain all the Furnishings created in one go. After you click it, you can also choose to use Vials of Adeptal Speed to speed up production of all Furnishings that haven't been completed yet with a single click.

Adjusts the upper limit of the Creation Queue in Create Furnishing from 5 to 10.

Adds Filter and Search functions to the Furnishings and Furnishing Blueprints tabs of the Realm Depot.

Displays category-related information in the text descriptions for Furnishings and Furnishing Blueprints.

Optimizes the layout of the Realm Music screen, adding serial numbers and no longer showing a second confirmation pop-up when unlocking tracks.

After Trust Rank reaches Level 10, the purchase limit of all products in Realm Depot > Furnishings (except Vial of Adeptal Speed) will be raised from 6 to 20.

Furnishings and Furnishing Blueprints introduced from Version 1.5 to 2.8 will be permanently sold at a discount in the Realm Depot.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Updates the icon of the Event Card "Falls and Fortune."

Optimizes the text description for the Normal Attack of the Character Card "Neuvillette" (the actual effect remains the same).

● Other

Optimizes the "compiling shaders" loading time when logging in on an Android device for the first time after version update.

Adds support for displaying friend nicknames on the Serenitea Pot > Create Furnishing > Guest Assistance screen, as well as on various screens related to Co-Op Mode.

Adjusts the position of the stone pillars on Floors 11 and 12 of the Spiral Abyss: Now, the stone pillars will be placed outside the barrier.

After the version update, on some PC devices that use integrated graphics cards, the default "Graphics > Graphics Quality" setting will be adjusted to "Lowest" (only the correspondence between the options and the default values is changed, the actual settings remain unchanged).

Due to the addition of new regions and Teleport Waypoints, the number of Teleport Waypoints required to unlock the achievement "Forest Roamer" has been adjusted. The original total number of Teleport Waypoints that needed to be unlocked was 46, and this has now been adjusted to 47 (if the achievement has been completed, the completion status of the achievement remains unchanged).

Increases the Inventory's capacity for the Weapon Enhancement Materials "Mystic Enhancement Ore," "Fine Enhancement Ore," and "Enhancement Ore" from 9,999 to 99,999.

〓Genius Invokation TCG Balance Adjustment〓

Adjusts the effect of the status "Fiery Rebirth" of the Character Card "Abyss Lector: Fathomless Flames": "When the character to which this is attached would be defeated: Remove this effect, ensure the character will not be defeated, and heal them to 4 HP. After this effect is triggered, this character deals +1 Pyro DMG."

Adjusts the effect of "Aegis of Abyssal Flame" applied by the Talent Card "Embers Rekindled" of the Character Card "Abyss Lector: Fathomless Flames": "Provide 2 Shield points to the character to which this card is attached. After said Shield points are depleted: Deal 1 Piercing DMG to all opposing characters."

Adjusts the casting logic of the Elemental Skills of the Character Cards "Candace" and "Beidou": After the adjustment, the character that cast the Elemental Skill gains a shield and then prepares the skill (i.e. generating the shield and preparing the skill are split into two separate actions, so that if the shield is removed by certain effects, this will not result in the skill's preparation being canceled too).

Adjusts the effect of the Support Card "Yayoi Nanatsuki": "For each of your characters already equipped with an Artifact on the field, you spend 1 less Elemental Die (once per Round)." has been adjusted to "If two of your characters on the field already have an equipped Artifact, you additionally spend 1 less Elemental Die (once per Round)."

Adjusts the trigger condition for the effect of the Support Card "Seed Dispensary": The trigger condition "When you play an Equipment or Support Card with an original cost of 1 Elemental Die: ..." has been adjusted to "When you play a Support Card with an original cost of at least 2 Elemental Dice: ..."

Adjusts the number of Elemental Dice required and effect of the Support Card "Jeht": The Elemental Dice cost required has been adjusted from 2 Dice of any element to 1. The effect "If this card has recorded at least 5 Sophistication points, discard this card and generate Omni Element equal to the number of Sophistication points minus 2." has been adjusted to "If this card has recorded at least 6 Sophistication points, discard this card and attach Sand and Dreams to your active character." (The effect of "Sand and Dreams" is: "When you play a Talent card or a Character uses a Skill: Spend 3 less Elemental Dice.")

Note: The effect of the Event Card "Nature and Wisdom" will not result in the deck being shuffled. All "draw a random card of any certain type from your deck" effects will also not result in the deck being shuffled, but instead will result in 1 random card of the corresponding type being drawn and added to your hand.

〓Bug Fixes〓

● Character

Fixes an issue whereby, when certain Polearm-wielding characters performed Plunging Attacks, the position of the attack's special effect would be abnormal in certain situations (the actual DMG AoE works as intended).

Fixes an issue whereby after Xianyun's second Constellation was unlocked, the special effect on the tails of her outfit would abnormally disappear under certain circumstances.

● System

Fixes an issue whereby there were errors with certain key names on the Settings > Key Bindings screen when playing on a PC in German or French.

Fixes an issue whereby, after switching a character's outfit from the "Party Setup" menu, the corresponding character could not be switched to and deployed in certain situations.

Fixes an issue whereby, when challenging the Millennial Pearl Seahorse, the game camera couldn't be restored to the original angle after zooming out in certain situations.

● Genius Invokation TCG

Fixes an issue whereby when "Fontemer Pearl" was attached to the Character Card "Millennial Pearl Seahorse," casting its Elemental Skill would abnormally reset the Fontemer Pearl's once-per-round effect ("Usage(s) will not be used when negating DMG from Summons").

● Audio

Fixes an issue whereby there was a chance that the effect of Freminet's skill voice line would be abnormal in certain situations.

Fixes an issue whereby, when Chiori used her Elemental Skill to enter combat, there was a chance that the Elemental Skill sound effect would be abnormal.

● Other

Fixes an issue whereby there was a small probability that the model of the currently controlled character would disappear abnormally under certain circumstances when playing through Lynette's Hangout Event on mobile devices.

Fixes an issue whereby if a character unequipped and then re-equipped the weapon "Amenoma Kageuchi," after triggering the weapon's effect to obtain Succession Seeds, Succession Seeds' duration would be abnormal under certain circumstances.

Fixes an issue whereby some buildings in Mondstadt were overlapping abnormally, which was preventing characters from climbing upwards.

Fixes some text errors in certain languages and optimizes text. (Note: Related in-game functions have not changed. Travelers can view the changes in different languages by going to the Paimon Menu > Settings > Language and changing the Game Language.)

Text-related fixes and optimizations in English include:

◆ Optimizes certain English translations.

*This is a work of fiction and is not related to any actual people, events, groups, or organizations.

"PlayStation", "PS5", "PS4", "DualSense", "DUALSHOCK" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Scrying Air elemental kingdom and Journaling importance.

Per the instruction of my ancestral guides I got told to focus on my elemental foundation lately, so I decided to scry the elemental realms that I maybe able to learn practically within the realms.

I think people don't want the initial story of why I am working with elemental cards or tattva/tattwas but let's say that I was guided to it and now I need to work on my elemental foundation. I sat down with my partner and after praying to my guides, St Cyprian, Jesus Christ, and praying to Sandalphon AND Raphael for protection in our trip we got to scrying. At first we started with looking at the card above that I and my partner made together, the image slowly became "in my head" and I was able to see the after-image of it and we started by going inside of the card like a portal trying to get a grip on the disorienting entrance. Usually people don't exactly tell you how it look like and don't want to tell you how elemental realms look like and I can't exactly put it to word how it look like except it is this cloudy and air kingdom full of ethereal clouds and buildings made out of "air" and there's nothing too static about it, even the guide I called in the authority of YHVH looked a bit like rushing winds without specific form except particle of "air" moving around in one area. Again different people, different perception of it, try to engage all your senses in these scrying sessions to really feel them. Anyway! I followed the guide to learn what's suitable for me and I was presented with a symbol of Air and this symbol is EVERYWHERE and I wasn't told anything else except putting my hand on it, once I did put my hand on the symbol I felt inclined to start praying, and praying I did on the spot for myself, my partner, for my guides, and for the elementals of the kingdom, maybe what we can learn from these realms isn't always "taking" but also giving to them. Giving incense, or prayer like thanksgiving, it's good because you don't need to look at them from an ivory tower. After that due to some circumstances I couldn't continue, wrapped up the scrying session with my partner and discussed what we saw and verified some stuff.

Where's the journaling in this case? in September 2022 I remember @tarotandnonsense mentioned to me that I saw the tattwas in a vision caused by Aratron the olympic spirit of Saturn. It seems like that this is related to this working, going back full circle to it I realized that maybe the planetary archangels and olympic spirits are telling me to work on my elemental foundation/work more. SO YEAH! keep a journal! it's useful when these events/data points arise everywhere in your life and connect together!

[canarycolemine]

The Cardinale

Pairing: Cardinal Terzo x Female Reader

Summary: Cardinal Terzo is one arragont motherfucker.

AO3 Link

Warnings: MDNI, 18+ only. hate sex. lots of it. cardinal is a little cheeky piece of shit. WC 4.4k.

Heavily inspired by @mardyart's depiction of Cardi T. Such a phenomenal artist!

Cocky, arrogant, headstrong.

The third Emeritus brother, destined to become Papa one day, nepotism to the highest degree. His suave, angular face and his overly confident charms - how he assumes every Sister will fall into his bed.

How I despise him. How I hope to never fall under his gaze, never be subjected to his attention.

Imagine my rage when Sister Superior informed me that I, her star pupil, will be responsible for tutoring the bastard in English.

He was “reassigned” to the country-side Abbey after displaying what I can only imagine was simply inappropriate behavior for an upper clergy member. The man believes that he can seduce and bed any living thing! Perhaps it’s not a matter of belief, but a goal, rather. At his current pace, he will have had most of the Sisters in his bed before the year is up!

Watching him saunter through the halls, smoking his little cigarettes - inside! I always made a concerted effort to cough as I walked past, head held high. He would simply perish, it seems, if he did not attempt to woo a woman a day. Kissing their hands, wearing his stupid white gloves, and winking that shining white eye.

I love my Sisters, but please, have some self-respect.

Quite frankly, I’ve always been appalled by his behavior. He has never led an entire black mass by himself, needing his brothers to finish the job. There was even one instance where I could have sworn he had a sister hidden under the pulpit from where he stood, evidently having communion. No, Cardinal Terzo only ever wanted to lead the rituals - the demon and ghoul summonings (he needs new things to fuck), the mystic elements (anything he can light on fire), and of course, orgies. (duh!).

It was early fall when Sister Superior invited me to her office. I was promised tea; secretly, I had hoped she would invite me to teach a seminar or two over the semester. My lecture series on the invocation of Lilith and Samuel could rival even the Dark One’s knowledge, himself!

But, no.

“The Cardinal is in desperate need of more restraint, and he could benefit from a more rigorous understanding of the English language. He prefers to speak in his mother tongue, and truthfully, it is not accommodating to international chapters.” Superior started, my ears perked at the mention of my personal enemy. I brought the steaming cup to my mouth. “I could think of none other to teach him all of these skills rather than you, Sister.”

I could hardly register the hind notes of the tea before it went straight through my nose, burning the whole way up! I coughed and sputtered the hot liquid at the shock of my assignment.

Still catching my breath, “My apologies, Sister, but… why me?”

“Give yourself credit, Sister. You are a star pupil!” A shine in her eyes, a smirk in her mouth let me know two things - she meant what she said and there was another reason, too.

My eyes narrowed, seeking the answers in her eyes.

“And you’re the only student that the Cardinal has not gotten to know… intimately.” Her lips pursed, looking towards the ground.

“Sister Superior…” I started, not above begging.

“Sister, I will make it worth your while. I will make sure you have your lecture series as a mandatory presentation for all first-year novicates.” A smile crossed my face, but dropped; still, the deal was unsatisfactory.

I sat up a little straighter, now making a dare. “And, no kitchen duty for the entirety of his lessons.” I hated the kitchens. Everything I’ve ever made was burnt to a crispr, so I’ve always been delegated to cleaning the dishes - the worst thing in the world.

She nodded, “That can be arranged.”

I smiled, relaxing a little, but how it only lasted so long. Resigned to my fate, I was excused to prepare for my lesson with the Cardinal this Tuesday.

A pause from my duties was provided in anticipation - he needed to be assessed for his English skills - grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. From my understanding, he had a functional grasp on the language. But I did not really know.

Truth be told, I have never spoken even a word to the Cardinal - always avoiding him, always souring my face when his eyes gazed at me. I wanted to be wholly unappealing to the man. For the most part, he had taken the hint and left me alone. Although, I could have sworn he said something in Italian as I walked past, something like “how I want to be the stick up her…” I didn’t inquire further.

By Lucifer’s grace, I had successfully avoided him. Until the sunset on the second day of the week, when our paths collide.

I arrived at our designated location - one of the older classrooms, repurposed for private studying, long abandoned by the day. Thirty minutes early to the beginning of the lesson, how I tidied our space, laid the materials out and cleaned the chalkboard.

The hanging wall clock, the ever present heartbeat, kept steady. It was almost unnerving, as if keeping me in tempo with the eventual encounter with the asshole. The old bell tower clock rang out 6 times.

And the aforementioned asshole was not here. The door was unlocked, the sun firmly setting. My lips tightened to a pout. I will give him five minutes - no more.

Electing to sit in one of the old desks I rearranged, I pulled out a trusty book, as I had anticipated his tardiness.

Some twenty odd pages in, and I had lost track of time entirely - forgotten the reason I was in this dusty room. The bastard didn’t even show up, easily thirty minutes late! Quite frankly, it was embarrassing that I managed to stay this long. But now, I elected to start the process of cleaning my things.

In the morning, I planned to tell Sister Superior that I will simply not take the Cardinal as a student, he had no respect for my time. Future Papa or not, not enough breaths on this Earth could be spared for a man with little regard for others.

I managed to talk myself through this script as I cleaned up my belongings, nearly whispering her retorts back. But I would not be deterred! Lost in the monologue, I heard a hoard of boys giggling, getting closer to the door.

No, no. It could not be.

The door opened, the raven haired cardinal stumbled in - his pack of brothers falling behind him. Laughing at some lewd joke, no doubt. He turned to look at me, suddenly stiffening his posture. The smug smile falling from his face. He offered some excuse to the men behind him, closing the door to the two of us. He leaned against the old door frame, creaking under his weight. As if that would make him look cooler. The black cassock he preferred was immaculately ironed - surely not by his own hands. Maybe he was screwing the laundry girls.

I tried hard to keep my gaze away from him. My rage and my pride wouldn’t allow it.

“Scusa sorella, I, eh, lost the time.” He offered with a shrug of his shoulders. His voice was rich with his mother tongue.

“Well, Cardinal, I won’t keep you long, then. Our lesson is canceled.” I coldly retorted.

“Che cosa?”

“Canceled, cardinal.” I spat back, lifting my book and walking towards him. “You were late.”

“But I am here now, no?” That white eye twinkled - a charm that assuredly got him into many sisters’ beds.

“And I have been here, Cardinal. For thirty minutes past our scheduled time. Either your watch is broken or you have so little regard for others that time is no object to you?” I said, every syllable articulated, glaring at him.

His eyebrow quirked, a challenge, he supposed. A grin crossed his face, a chuckle that died in his throat.

“It really is you, eh sister?”

“What?” I shot back, whatever could he mean by that?

“You - you,” he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulling one to his lips, lighting it, and puffing the smoke away from us, “I thought my school would be with you. You are the sister that always walks with a stick up her ass.”

I made a pointed effort to cough at his smoke.

“Some of us have priorities besides fucking an entire congregation, Cardinal.”

“Am I really so evil, Sorella?” he feigned offense, the cigarette affecting his enunciation. Removing from his lips, another puff. “To celebrate our eh, how do you say, istinti?”

“Instincts.” I corrected.

“Ah, si, instincts. That is why we are here, no? Our Lord calls us to do just that.”

“You’ve got quite the head start on the sin of lust, Cardinal, I don’t think you could ever live long enough to dedicate your life to such… dedicated studies of the other sins.”

“It is my favorite.” His white gloves took the cigarette from his mouth, curling it between his fingers, before dropping it to the ground to extinguish the flame. His shoes shined brilliantly, even I could admit, but as I gazed at his shoes, I swore he winked at me through the reflection of his face.

“You really shouldn’t smoke, you know.”

“It is not good for me, this I know.” “I couldn’t care about what happens to you, the flame isn’t good for these old buildings. You’d burn down the whole abbey.”

“You say you don’t care about me sister.” He moved past me, further into the room, settling in one of the old teachers' desks. He kicked those expensive shoes onto the desk, relaxing back into the chair. “But I do not think that is so true.”

I faced him fully, still standing near the door. “I promise you, I do not.”

“Hm,” he chuckled, bringing his gloved hand to his mouth, running the fabric gently against his lower, unpainted lip. “No.” He said so sternly.

“What?”

“What?” he mocked me, a voice that was far too high pitched to be an imitation of me.

I let out an exasperated sigh, to which he laughed.

“Fuck you.” I went for my bag, still at the old desk.

“Do you want to know how I know this?” He said, staring at my rage.

“I doubt you ever shut up, so it doesn’t really matter what I want.”

“Sorella,” he sat up in the chair, his feet meeting the ground and his hands coming together on the desk. “We have not spoken any words to each other. But you hate me so much?”

I huffed. “You have no respect for anyone but yourself!” I could feel an all too familiar lump in my throat.

“How do you know this?” His patience now wearing thin, I could hear it.

“You walk around the abbey like you own the place. I get it, I know you’re the future Papa, but God damn it, you are so arrogant. You’ve never had to work for anything in your life! You think you can just fuck anyone and anything that walks through these doors. You’ve had everything handed to you by a silver spoon, and I hate it.”

My eyes watered, I couldn’t look at him. Whether from my rage or some secret hopes I had, I could feel the emotion.

“I’ve worked so fucking hard to get where I am, and I will never be anything close to you, just because you’re, fucking, you! And now, I have to waste my time teaching you English because you can’t stay focused for more than five seconds!”

My fist met the school table. His face leaned into his hands, thinking too carefully about the situation. His eyebrow quirked.

“... You are jealous of me, then?” He hid a smirk behind his hands.

I glared at him, how I wish my stare could kill.

“Fuck. You.”

“That does not sound like a no.” No effort in hiding his smirk now.

“Since when does ‘no’ matter to you?” I baited.

He feigned offense, yet again, bringing his hand to his chest. “Sorella, I am offended! I can promise you all of my sexual encounters have been enthusiastic by all parties. I would not dare to violate another!”

“What a well constructed sentence, Cardinal. It seems like you have no need for any help with the English language.”

“Ah, she has gotten me off of the topic…”

“All I had to do was talk about sex, so it wasn’t too hard, was it now?”

“No, no, no, we were talking about you, si! About how you are so jealous of me.” He ran that stupid fucking gloved hand through his hair, slicked with grease.

“Even now, you cannot say you are not jealous of me. Admit it.”

I paused. “So what?”

He clapped his hands, catching me apparently.

“She is! She is very jealous of my status and my future. But, I think she is jealous of not only me, no?” His tone shifted, in a direction I was not comfortable with.

“What?”

“She is also very jealous of all of the people that I get to fuck.” He punctuated the syllables far too clearly.

I huffed again, rolling my eyes. “There it is again. She does not say ‘no!’”

I hated how well he was reading me.

“Why do you even care? You fuck everything with a pulse, so why do you care?”

Fuck. I was not selling this very well. His gaze told me everything. The raised eyebrow, the smug pull of his painted lips.

He tilted his head, as if to study me further. I could feel myself recoil.

“You have done too much assuming, Sorella. About me, about yourself.”

He stood from the chair and stalked towards me. Instinctively, I crept back from him, nearing the wall for safety.

“You think I do not care about anyone but me, and that is not true. You think I abuse my future position, but that is not true either. And you think I fuck anything with a pulse.” He reached me, cornering me against the wall.

“And that,” he brought his finger to my chin, forcing my eyes to his, “is not true. I only fuck the pretty ones.”

Here is where I could be offended, he never fucked me. I thought that I was fairly pretty, so damn, that kinda hurt my feelings.

Sensing the monologue, “And you are a pretty one.” His painted lips gently touched mine.

God damn it. I hated how good that felt.

“So you see, sister, I knew you thought all of this.” His other hand reached for my waist, exploring the dip of my body. “I saw the way you scowled at me, pretending to hate me. It was all jealousy. But there is something about the way you hated me that pulled me so, so close. I needed to have you.”

“But how to get to you?” His hands reached for mine, holding them in place, behind my back.

“Who better to teach me restraint?” he purred.

“I act like an asshole for a while, speak in Italian with my friends. I get the attention of the Sister Superior, who will certainly demand I be subdued by studies.” His painted lips traveled a path along my jaw to my ear. “And who here have I not fucked?”

His teeth grazed my earlobe. “I could deceive the world for you.”

I bit my lip. His gaze returned to mine.

“Pretty good, no?”

“Pretending you’re stupid was a very believable act, apparently.” I mustered out, flustered as I was.

“Don’t deceive me now, Sorella.” His lips met mine again, pressing his forehead to mine. “There is one thing I need to hear you say.” His words left his mouth easily, but he was not unaffected. Just as flustered as I.

I huffed, pausing for only a moment.

“Si.”

His lips crashed to mine, with a fire that was barely restrained before. He released my hands from behind my back; his hands traveled to my hips, lifting me. Instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist.

We traveled through the room, locked in the heated kiss, when he sat me on the teacher’s desk.

“On the teacher’s desk?” I giggled, taking in the chosen location.

“It’s always been a fantasy.” He laughed back, then resumed his fury on my neck.

His large hands reached for my habit, pulling it off in a fell swoop. Evident of his experience, it hardly hurt. He pulled away from me, just gazing at me for a moment.

“Pretty one.” As if he didn’t know he said it.

Fuck.

I lead the charge back to his mouth, my hands now locking into his raven locks. The diligent work of unbuttoning that goddamn stupid black cassock. I gave it my best shot. My hands kept slipping on the buttons, struggling to unhook them. He chuckled from our kiss, removing my hands from him.

“Having trouble, darling? It’s always difficult.” His gloved hands made the show unbuttoning each cotton button - traveling down in body in quite the show.

Once to the bottom, he stepped out of the garment and removed his crisp white undershirt. I was out of my body, unaware of how I looked as I looked at him. Each new sight of his skin lit a fire in me. He was as slender as I thought he would be, well defined, certainly. A healthy patch of hair on his chest - he was certainly Italian.

A glance to his eyes knew how I enjoyed his spectacle.

Cocky, arrogant, and headstrong was the Cardinale.

“Your turn.”

He came back to my neck, teasing the delicate flesh. The first moan slipped from my lips as he sucked the skin purple.

“Good girl.” He purred. He lifted my habit from my legs, over my head, leaving me in my undergarments. Pausing his efforts to take in my form. A glance in his eyes - like my body was a feast for his soul. Another look at my undergarments, “Matching?” in reference to the black bra and panties I was sporting.

Guilty.

He leaned closer to me, resting an arm on the table. Teasingly, looking into me.

“Women match when they are planning to be fucked.” My eyes turned from his, embarrassing me again. His other hand came to my chin, forcing my gaze to his. “Was there someone else, Sorella?”

I opened my mouth, but the words failed me.

“No.” He answered for me, feigning sympathy. “There wasn’t, was there?”

My mouth hung open, but I couldn’t admit it.

“Say it, then.”

Bastard.

“Say it, pretty one, I do not have all night.” His voice nearly sang.

The fire his was stroking in me burned, “I need you to fuck me.” I whined, my eyes nearly starting to water.

His hand, holding my gaze, went to my shoulder, forcing me to lay on the old, creaking desk. Quickly, he made work removing my bra. Adoringly, he stared at the exposed skin.

Wordlessly, he painted my breasts with his lips. As his lips latched around my nipple, I whimpered, already so sensitive. His other hand toyed with the opposite breast, kneading the flesh. As his teeth grazed the delicate flesh, he nearly pinched the opposite.

Another gasp escaped.

“She likes it when it hurts?”

Obviously. I fucking hated him so much.

He mirrored his actions on the opposite breasts before trailing his kisses further down my torso. Nipping at the skin, kissing it, dragging his tongue.

He left a particularly gentle kiss below my navel, as he gazed back at me. Wordlessly asking.

I nodded.

He hooked his hands to the elastic of the lacy panties, dragging them off of my legs in a well-practiced motion.

“Spread your legs.” I obliged, as he pulled the teacher’s chair to sit in between my legs.

His gaze never left my core, which he could see how he affected me. He lifted my legs onto his shoulders, granting a better view. Biting the fingers of his gloves, removing them. Gently working the muscle of my inner thighs, unconsciously creeping higher.

Reaching my core, his uncovered hands spread me open further to him. He gazed reverently.

“Pretty, pretty girl.” He stroked my slit delicately, I shivered and whined at the feeling. “Such a pretty girl.”

He brought his face close, kissing my mound and licking the slit all the way up. He left gentle kisses onto my already sensitive clit, dying for attention. He latched his lips around the bud, suckling softly.

As his tongue flicked my clit, I bucked my hips into his mouth, firming my grip in his hair.

He unlatched to drag his tongue, flattened, up and down my core. His tongue prodded at my entrance, lapping at my slick. His fingers moved towards my center, replacing his mouth, pressing into me.

One finger - pumping slowly into me - adjusting the feeling. Adding another one, stretching slightly. His eyes studied my face for discomfort. Once I adjusted, his divine mouth returned to my clit, alternating between kissing and suckling. His fingers curled into me, searching. When they found the spongy tissue inside, the moans fell easily. Begging him. He teased the spot, expertly. Pressing into it with each pump, as he sucked on my clit.

“Cardinal-” I started. “I’m getting - close” I managed to get out.

I could feel a smile on his lips as he continued, speeding his actions.

The band in my stomach was burning, stretching, white hot. At the precipice, as my cries started to build.

When suddenly he stopped. Sitting back, removing his mouth and fingers from me.

I shuddered at the loss of sensation, being so close. I sat up slightly to look at him.

The fucker was wiping my slick from his chin, licking his fingers clean.

Apparently, my face told him how close I was, how it was moments away.

“I wanted to feel it on my cock, darling.” His eyebrow raised. “Plus, it feels better when you ruin it a little bit.”

A fight was breaking in my head, an internal debate I was having with him.

His belt jingled, his pants being slid down and discarded. Left in pristine white boxers, which he lowered. His cock sprang free, dripping with his precum.

“I could have came just from tasting you, you know?” as he began languidly stroking himself, using himself to lubricate the movements. “All of your little sounds, they sounded so sweet. And you were oh so close, weren’t you?”

His teasing was back, his hand sped up, only to build himself up more. I whined.

“Just think. Even an hour ago, you were cursing my name, wanting me dead. Look at you now - begging for my cock.”

He pressed his cock into my core, rubbing the reddened head onto my clit. A guttural noise fell from me. An animalistic cry.

“She was so jealous of me, too. And now all she wants to be is fucked by me. Maybe she’ll die if she doesn’t get it, what do you think?”

“Please, Terzo.” “Oh, using my name now? What happened to ‘asshole?’” His voice cracked, unaffected by his own need.

“Please fuck me.” I cried out, a tear falling from my eye.

“Say it again.”

“Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.” Tumbling out.

On command, he aligned himself and pressed into my dripping heat. Feeling every inch of my warmth, he shuddered and groaned.

“So, so good” he whispered.

He filled me exquisitely, pressing in carefully, allowing me to adjust. My nails marked his back, savoring every inch.

His hips finally met mine, I swore I could feel him in my stomach. He let out a breath, unsteadied from restraint.

“Don’t have that restraint now, Cardinal.” I teased. “Move.”

A low groan from him, as his hips rolled, moving back. “You won’t be able to walk tomorrow if I don't.”

“Try your worst.”

He slammed forward again, now setting a punishing pace. Feeling the drag of his cock on my walls, I whined. His hands tilted my hips further up, angling to my sweet spot. I gasped at the pressure. It was returning - the precipice. He couldn’t rob me a second time.

“Perhaps, sorella, it is you who needs a lesson, eh?” He nearly coughed through, maintaining his pace. “I could teach you something.”

His hand moved towards we were joined, circling my clit. It was becoming too much - the sweet pressure of him inside and now his devious fingers.

His fingers moved quickly on my clit, building the fire again. My moans telling him it all. As if in perfect rhythm, his pistoning hips and circling fingers.

“Let’s countdown, darling. In Italian.”

His other hand came to my chin, forcing my gaze. He nodded, as if to reassert his power. “It goes…dieci, nove…”

The fire was reaching a breaking point, I knew what he was doing now. His fingers still moved with a steady speed.

“Otto, sette, sei…”

“...Terzo…” I whined.

“Cinque, quattro, tre…”

“I’m gonna…”

“Due, uno.”

The waves of pleasure crashed down on me, my legs shaking. My vision blurry, white hot. His hips stuttered, as I felt him swell inside, riding out my pleasure. Milking him for all he had. The course of our cries rang in the old room. His fingers didn’t stop until I whined with oversensitivity, his spend leaking from me.

He stayed inside, pressing his full weight onto me.

We held each other in an embrace, coming down from divinity. Our breaths in sync, slowing down.

My breath nearly returned to me as I came to, laughing with what air I had.

“What’s so funny?” His smirk shined with a warmth I had not seen before.

“A countdown to my orgasm. Cheeky.”

He laughed. “It worked, eh?”

“Don’t be too full of yourself.”

“I cannot, you are full of me.”

“Ew! Don’t say it like that, dumbass.”

“There is the girl that hates me. I missed her.” He gazed at me, smiling more softly now, tucking an errant strand of hair behind my ear. Holding my face in his hand, so gently. He placed the last soft his to my lips.

“And I’ll never stop hating you, Cardinal.”

“So be it, but it has worked out well for me so far, huh?”

Bastard.

[girlactionfigure]

Ok, you want to know from a lawyer why the allegation that Israel is committing genocide is false? 

Fine. 

I prefer to focus on the absurdity of the allegation, especially since it is Hamas that expressly seeks Jewish & Israeli genocide; but it's clear people want this analysis.

Genocide is defined by the 1948 UN Convention on Prevention & Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as: (1) the coordinated; (2) planned; and (3) intentional destruction, in whole or in part, of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.

Let's set aside for a minute the fact that the the #UN Convention regarding #genocide was adopted because of what the #Nazis had done to the #Jewsthereby making its invocation here not only absurdly false, but also unforgivably offensive.

That outrageousness aside, we can analyze the elements of the crime of genocide under the present situation in #Gaza.

The requisite mens rea to find a government guilty of genocide is the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a particular group of people. 

This intent to commit genocide doesn't magically come into being just because people want to believe it exists. There must be actual proof of criminal intent to destroy a particular group of people.

#SouthAfrica cannot possibly carry its burden of showing Israel "intended or intends to commit genocide"; thus, the allegation fails.  

Just some of the obvious reasons intent to commit genocide could not possibly be shown follow:

- 10/7 & Hamas' words since 10/7 have proven the #terror group would, if it could, continue carrying out massacres until it killed every #Israeli & potentially every #Jew on Earth. Israel, like every other UN member state, has the inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. In this case, Israel's right to self-defense continues until it has done everything "necessary" to to ensure #Hamas can never attack Israeli civilians again because of: (1) the genocidal brutality of the #October7Massacre; (2) Hamas' 35+ years of genocidal warfare against Israel & Jews; & (3) Hamas' express & repeated commitment to repeat massacres like 10/7 "again and again." Therefore, Israel's right to self-defense includes both the right to eliminate the threat from Hamas to its civilians & to restore a sense of security to its civilians.

- The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry claims 22,000 #Palestinians have died. Even if that number was reliable (it is not), Hamas claims every one of the deaths was a civilian, not a #HamasTerrorist. That is obviously not the case. Israel claims to have killed ~9,000 Hamas terrorists. Even assuming the Hamas numbers were correct, that would mean about 1.45 civilians have been killed for every 1 "combatant" (Hamas terrorist). As horrible as the loss of any civilian life is, it is simply a fact that civilians suffer disproportionately in war & what Israel has done in protecting civilian lives is unprecedented in the history of urban warfare. In fact, according to the UN statistics of global conflict, the average civilian to combatant killed ratio is 9 civilians killed for every 1 combatant killed. This ratio in and of itself makes the allegation of "genocide" a complete absurdity.

- Even assuming the "worst case scenario" numbers above of ~9,000 terrorists killed & ~13,000 civilians killed still does not take into account the cause of those civilian deaths. We know that somewhere between 20%-35% of all Hamas & #Palestinian #Islamic #Jihad missiles misfire & land in Gaza (like the one that landed at a Gaza hospital that Israel was wrongly accused of bombing). So, how many Gaza civilians were killed by misfired rockets from Palestinian terror groups? Suddenly, that already incredible ratio of civilians:combatants in the annals of warfare is improving even further.

- There are at least dozens of videos of Hamas #terrorists firing at #IDF troops while wearing civilian clothing (which is itself a #WarCrime) to blend in with the civilian population. So, how many Gaza "civilians" who were killed were actually just Hamas terrorists wearing #civilian clothing? That civilian:combatant ratio is improving once again.

- We know from video, reconnaissance, audio, interrogations, & eye-witness accounts (including from #Gazans themselves) that Hamas uses both voluntary & involuntary human shields to protect Hamas terrorists & their weapons (each time they do it, that is also a war crime). So, how many Gaza "civilians" who were killed were voluntarily acting as human shields for Hamas? And while Israel has made significant efforts to limit civilians casualties, those involuntary human shields who die are legally dead at the hands of Hamas. Wow, that civilian:combatant ratio is looking beyond amazing now! 

- There is video, photo, interrogation, & eye-witness accounts that Hamas uses women & children under 18 in combat roles. Therefore, not every allegedly killed woman or child counts as a "civilian." 

- What kind of genocidal army would do what Israel has been doing in engaging in massive warning campaigns before it attacks via hundreds of thousands of phone calls, text messages, leaflets, & via roof knocking? Gazans are actually given so much warning & time to evacuate that the extreme majority of "civilians" who remain in a targeted area are there either because they support Hamas or because they were forced to stay & act as human shields by Hamas. Essentially, not only is Israel obviously not conducting a genocide, it has completely eliminated their own advantage of surprise that would have helped Israel eradicate Hamas much quicker by providing warnings that reach both civilians & Hamas terrorists.

- A large percentage of Palestinian deaths in Gaza have been due to their combined use by Hamas as human shields & by Hamas' refusal to permit Gaza civilians to either to use Hamas tunnels as bomb shelters or to flee via safe corridors provided by the 

@IDF

 (what kind of genocidal army provides safe corridors for civilians even knowing some Hamas terrorists will manage to escape by blending in with the crowd???). In other words, it is Hamas that is by far the most responsible party for putting #Gazan #civilians in harm's way; and the mere fact that civilians have died is in no way indicative of any deliberate intent on the part of Israel to kill Palestinian civilians - let alone intentionally "destroy" the population, as required to prove genocide.

- A country's intention to destroy a group in whole or in part is typically found in state policy (as it was with the Nazis & as it is with Hamas). However, no such policy in Israel has ever existed. Israel has made clear repeatedly (and its actions, with some examples stated above, show this is more than just words) that its goal is to "operate[] against Hamas & other terrorist groups in Gaza, not against the civilian population ... Israel wishes no harm to civilians & is committed to addressing the humanitarian needs of those suffering ..."

- Simply, the loss of lives in Gaza are reasonably explained by & attributable to Israel's necessary self-defense military goal of eradicating Hamas' ability to make war. The loss of lives in Gaza are not, however, reasonably explained by some claimed genocide on the part of Israel, as there is no actual evidence to support a finding of the type of criminal intent required to prove genocide.

- Israel is a straight-up parliamentary #democracy; thus, it has voices in the Knesset that can be extreme. Those voices, however, are not mainstream; and, more importantly, those voices are not the ones who are responsible for prosecuting the war against Hamas. Therefore, their words (indelicate as they may have been) are irrelevant to a finding of genocide on the part of the government of Israel. The Israeli war cabinet in charge of prosecuting the war to eradicate Hamas consists of only five people: PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, unity coalition member, former Deputy PM, & Minister of Defense Benny Gantz, former military Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, & Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. Attempting to attribute the words of anyone else, especially in the very fringes of Israel's eclectic democratic government, to try to show proof of government intent to commit genocide fails as a matter of both fact & law. Any comments by the five members of the war cabinet at which any dishonest person may wish to point to try to prove "intent to commit genocide," in reality can only be reasonably interpreted as statements referring to the destruction of the Hamas terrorist regime.

So, what is the takeaway? 

It is South Africa's burden to show Israel had/has the intent to carry out a "genocide" of the Palestinian people in Gaza. For the foregoing reasons (among many others - but this is long enough for X), South Africa cannot possibly prove intent to commit genocide. 

South Africa's allegations are defamatory & are an attempt to hold the world's only Jewish State to a different standard than every other state in the history of humankind; and, perhaps worse, to try to turn the victims of a genocide into the alleged committers of a genocide. 

Were the #ICJ to find intent to commit "genocide" here, then no country on Earth would be permitted to act in self-defense in the event it is attacked - no matter how horrible the attack - if any civilians may be killed in the process. 

If that were the case, Hamas & other terrorist organizations would be given carte blanche to attack countries with impunity & then simply hide behind civilians to suddenly become entirely immune from justice. That obviously can never be the law.

Captain Allen

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hellenic Gods Fact Sheets and Hymns: Hecate

Other Names: Trivia, Brimo

Epithets: Anassa eneroi  (queen of those below), Aidonaia (lady of the Underworld), Amibousa (she who changes), Atalus (tender, delicate), Borborophorba (she who feeds on filth), Brimo (angry, terrifying), Despoina (mistress), Eileithyia (of childbirth), Enodia (of the roads), Epaine (dread), Euplokamos (bright-tressed), Khthonia (of the Underworld), Kleidouchos (keeper of the keys), Kourotrophos (protector of children), Krokopelos (saffron-robed), Liparokredemnos (bright-coiffed), Nycteria (nocturnal; of the night), Nyctipolos (night-wandering), Perseis (destroyer/ daughter of Perses), Phosphoros (light bearer), Propolos (guide), Propylaia (the one before the gate), Scylacagetis (leader of dogs), Soteira (savior), Trikephalos (three-headed/of the crossroads), Trimorphos (three-formed), Trioditis (of the three ways), Trivia (of the three ways).

Domains: Witchcraft, magic, necromancy, ghosts, nightmares, death, initiation, the crossroads, gateways, passage between worlds, and the night.

Appearance: [My UPG] A tall (over 6’) woman, neither young nor old, with waist-length black hair, pale skin, prominent cheekbones, a heavy jaw, and intense green eyes. She is usually dressed in black folds molded into a simple dress or robes. She has a severe expression and an intimidating presence. She speaks with a low voice.

Sacred Days and Festivals: Eleusinia (22 Metageitnion). Nemoralia (August 13th-15th). Deipnon, last day of each (lunar) month.

Symbols/Attributes: Torches, keys, daggers, strophalos (iynx wheel)

Sacred Animals: Dog, polecat, serpent, horse, frog.

Sacred Plants: Yew, cypress, garlic, willow, hazel, black poplar, aconite, belladonna, dittany, mandrake, hemlock, asphodel

Elemental Affinity: Darkness, light, fire

Planet: Moon

Colors: Black, saffron, silver.

Crystals: Black onyx, hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, moonstone, smoky quartz, agate, amethyst.

Incense: Myrrh, almond, cypress, camphor, saffron, mugwort, pomegranate.

Tarot Cards: The High Priestess, The Moon, Death

Retinue: Empousai, ghosts of the dead, dogs, Lampades (torch-bearing underworld nymphs)

Associated People: Witches (and other magic-users), the dead

Offerings: Bread, eggs, honey, garlic, menstrual blood, graveyard dirt.

Syncretized With: Artemis, Diana, Persephone, Eileithyia, Selene, Nephthys, Ereshkigal, Nicnevin, Heqet

Hymns to Hecate

Orphic Hymn to Hecate

Hekate Enodia, Trivia, lovely dame, Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, Pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Daughter of Perses, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, And drawn by bulls, unconquerable, monstrous queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, Hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, And to the herdsman with a favoring mind draw near.

Hecate’s Hymn to Herself

I come, a virgin of varied forms, wandering through the heavens, bull-faced, three-headed, ruthless, with golden arrows; chaste Phoebe bringing light to mortals, Eileithyia; bearing the three synthemata [sacred signs] of a triple nature.  In the Aether I appear in fiery forms and in the air I sit in a silver chariot, Earth reins in my black brood of puppies.

(From Porphyry’s lost commentary on the Chaldean Oracles, preserved by Eusebius of Caesaria in Praeparatio Evangelica. According to Porphyry, this hymn was composed by Hecate herself.)

Magical Invocation to Hecate

Approach, you of the netherworld, of earth, of heaven, Bombo! You by the wayside, at the crossroads, light-bearer, night-wanderer, Enemy of light, friend and companion of night, Rejoicing in the howl of dogs and in crimson gore, Lurking among the corpses and the tombs of lifeless dust, Lusting for blood, bringing terror to mortals, Grim one, Ogress [Mormo], Moon – you of many forms, May you come gracious to our sacrificial rites!

(Preserved in Refutation to All Heresies by Hippolytus)

Invocation to Hecate from PGM IV 2708-84

Come, giant Hecate, Dione’s guard, O Persia [daughter of Perses], Baubo Phroune, dart-shooter, Unconquered Lydian, the one untamed, Sired nobly, torch-bearing, guide, who bends down Proud necks, Kore, hear, you who’ve parted / gates Of steel unbreakable. O Artemis, Who, too, were once protectress, mighty one, Mistress, who burst forth from the earth, dog-leader, All-tamer, crossroad goddess, triple-headed, Bringer of light, august / virgin, I call you Fawn-slayer, crafty, O infernal one, And many-formed. Come, Hekate, goddess Of three ways, who with your fire-breathing phantoms Have been allotted dreaded roads and harsh / Enchantments, Hekate I call you

[…]

O Hekate of many names, O Virgin, Kore, Goddess, come, I ask, O guard and shelter of the threshing floor Persephone, O triple-headed goddess, Who walk on fire, cow-eyed BOUORPHORBE PANPHORBA PHORBARA AKITOPHI ERESHKIGAL / NEBOUTOSOUALETH Beside the doors, PYPYLEDEDEZO And gate-breaker; Come Hekate, of firey Counsel, I call you to my sacred chants.