#is that the sin fontaine people are born with? is that the same as the 'original sin'?

[torgawl]

the furina jesus brainrot combined with my idea of her fragmentation of the self as well as the three thrones in fontaine is making me think of the holy trinity: father, son and the holy spirit. how they are all god but they're not one another. basically, this thing:

the father is the author of all creation and out of him come all good things. he's good and abundant in love.

the son is the physical embodiment of love who walked the earth as both example and sacrifice. he died as the ultimate gesture for mankinds' sins and his physical death is the landmark event of all history. the son is subordinate to the father.

the holy spirit, called "the unveiled epiphany of god", is the one without a physical form who empowers the followers of jesus with spiritual gifts and power that enables the proclamation of jesus christ, and the power that brings conviction of faith. the spirit is subordinate to the son and to the father.

can you guys see where i'm going? the holy spirit being something non-physical that empowers those who follow jesus sounds oddly familiar to the oratrice that feeds off of fontaine's people's faith in the justice system into a power source. jesus, who sacrificed himself for mankind for their sins... furina, is that you? now, who is the father? the hydro archon but not furina maybe or the other way around? no idea. my brain didn't go so far but tell me this doesn't actually make sense!!!

[theactualsunshinechild]

Fontaine archon storyline still has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever and try to make Mr. "Genocide on a Whim" Childe a Christ figure by somehow trying to sacrifice him to the primordial sea for the sins of all of Fontaine

That's definitely not the plan, but it would be very funny. I love the concept of making completely un-christ-like characters into christ stand-ins.

I just keep thinking about how much opportunity they have to pull off something very biblical here with the whole "born with sin" "flood to cleanse sins" "literally building Noah's ark" "statue of the seven technically holding a cross" "passing final judgment only belongs to one entity" shit they have going on.

The entirety of Fontaine so far is so full of Christian references, whether intentional or not, that they could absolutely Christ-ify Childe if they wanted to! They're like, halfway there, they just need to sacrifice his ass and bring him back to life and they'll check off bingo.

I would be so grateful if they literally killed and revived him. can you imagine how much extra MC level Angst TM they could stuff into this man?

I love giving my most pathetic meow meows the hardest battles.

plus the added moral quandry of "is it right it to kill one guy to save our whole country even though he is not Fontanian and is blessed(???) by the primordial sea whale thing (pure of their inherent fontanian sin, kind of a son of god equivalent moment)? Is it right to do even if he isn't exactly a good person?"

And then of course the fact that the vast majority of the people affected by this decision would probably say yes, hesitantly or not. Like, if it were a guaranteed fix to the prophecy, there is no doubt in my mind that Arlecchino would be willing to nail Childe to the metaphorical cross herself AND cover it up to his family.

Neuvillette would probably consider it unjust, but could maybe potentially be swayed by the weight of just how many lives would be saved vs One Dangerous Criminal argument. (A Christ and Pontius Pilate reference? Childe WAS arrested and tried and found guilty for a crime he didn't commit by a guy who was unwilling, but forced to pronounce him guilty).

Wriothesley would be against the idea of sacrificing someone legally under his care, but if it's that vs everyone else in the fortress??? He would rather it was himself, as hell bent on fixing issues thrown his way as he is, but the man doesn't even know if he's Fontanian or not, he doesn't have the same circumstances surrounding him as Childe does to even offer to stand in his place.

Basically, if it is a guarantee, sacrificing him is simply the most practical choice that most people would make. In fact, out of all the characters we have in Fontaine, I think only the traveler might even bother truly standing up for him to the very end, because everyone else is very Personally affected, since it's their own lives on the line as well.

And that would be heartbreaking

The ANGST of Childe looking around him and seeing no one in his side in the face of impending sacrificial execution would shatter me into pieces.

Oh god, can you IMAGINE a cut scene of Childe being the first person to be sentenced to death in Fontaine in over a century and desperately looking around and meeting the traveller's eyes and we fucking grit our teeth and look away? Can you IMAGINE?!

That would break me.

Anyway, I don't think they'll do it since that's just not how Genshin writes, but it sure would be a missed opportunity.

[unparalleledfocus]

"Parousia Diluvi"/Font of All Waters (choir) analysis

I am once again thinking about Chief Justice (Iudex) Neuvillette and his (music) themes. And the choir???

The first instance of the choir is at the very beginning - as the blur of people in the court argue, so does the choir intensely chant. It only stops when the scene moves onto Neuvillette's inner world, as he sits on his throne while it intensely rains. He sees that it is time to play his part, yet he lowers his gaze - his duty must be fulfilled, yet he cannot help but be heartbroken over the quarrels he is witnessing.

The next instance of the choir is when he uses his Elemental Skill "O Tears, I Shall Repay", yet again connecting to his compassion for others and his worries: he witnesses countless tragedies and disputes, be it through court, the waters, or maybe even simply witnessing something happen by the street, yet all of these, along with the lovely moments he has witnessed, have helped him grow and understand humanity and himself a little bit more, with his tears - the rain - guiding him, thus forming the wish of repaying others for their duties.

The choir once again, alongside the great rain, becomes more and more intense in the scenes where people begin accusing one another, while all Neuvillette can do is stand and watch the scene unfold before him. The choir and downpour almost become overwhelming, until Neuvillette puts a stop to it with his might, as if a silent, yet mighty, plea. Additionally it could be a form of sensory overload, though the emotions involving that would likely remain the same - distress, heartbreak and a crippling loneliness.

Finally, the choir returns again when Neuvillette sees a vision(?) of the Fontainians floating in midair/midwater(?). "You who were born with original sin, go forth and search for the long buried truth, before it is lost beneath the waves." Despite whatever chaos may arise he - as Iudex, as God of Life and simply as Neuvillette - wishes that the people of Fontaine could find a way to save themselves from the looming prophecy, to find the truth that could save them, because he loves them all the same. The choir begins quieting down as Neuvillette looks at a human floating upside down - they are reflections of one another, despite it all.

[yokelish]

Thots on Fontaine

I think the fact Oceanids didn't accept Focalor is very significant. Not only because of the waters that changed. I think, Furina, is what you would call a puppet Archon. She has the name, everyone believes she is. But she probably knows the truth that she isn't, not really, not quite.

Furina lied on her resume and got the job but has no clue how to do it. She is just really good with a performance.

I won't be surprised if she never even held the Gnosis. She probably knows it exists and where it is (my suspicion is the Oratrice), but the Gnosis isn't hers. Not to say she isn't a god, she is just a very minor one. Or maybe some other elemental creature.

As to why I think Focalors nerve claimed the Gnosis, it's her timidity and ignorance on the topic. When challenged in any way, she backs down quite easily. And I don't think it's her other personality, I think she knows full well what she can and can't do. And when her performance isn't enough to intimidate the other party, she back down. By all accounts, Neuvillette is technically her subject and doesn't seem to be the violent sort. But even he intimidates her to no end if she knows he isn't on her side.

The power of water is it's ability to take any shape. And Focalor is a really great representation of it. She can take shape, she just won't hold it without a container. And that container would likely have been Gnosis. If she couldn't claim it, she is mostly left with her innate powers. Nahida's power of Dendro doesn't just belong solely to her alone. Probably the same is with the water. Oceanids hold great power over water if by leaving Fontaine alone they changed the property of the waters.

But why, you ask, since Furina is so close to Celestia's ideals. Well, that's what she thinks. That's what most are made to believe. No one can know for sure how Celestia feels about it. And, given that the people of Fontaine are born with sin that cannot be absolved...

See, usually , the sinners are decided by the Divine. It's highly unlikely that Furina seems her own people are siners. It's counterproductive of her. So, who else would have proclaimed Fontaine people to be born in sin? Celestia. Oceanids and/or other Hydro elemental beings too. Maybe even the previous Archon herself. Her death is a mystery still. The sin of Fontaine people really seems like a curse. And we know that gods are really good at placing curses of people if they are born of certain land.

Now the question is, of course, why Childe was judged guilty.

[reginrokkr]

The condemned willingly serve the gods out of their own sense of guilt, but have they considered that the gods may be unable to bring them the consolation they long for…?                                                                                                            —Wriothesley miscellany.

𝐂𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗. Honestly, after learning more about Egeria and Focalors' stories this line is more powerful than what it looks like. At first it was laughs out of not knowing what was going to happen as people still think that Dain hates gods and this could come across as throwing some burn at Furina in this case, as it was her the one who was shown as Dain said this line (me included, as he's known for roasting gods when he thinks he has to but so far he didn't Nahida or Furina and I doubt he will at this point).

In the past there were those who would do anything to cleanse their sin of being humans out of Oceanids as per their own request to Egeria, but in truth even she was a sinner in truth who had no means to cleanse her sin also. Her life ended short without finding a way to cleanse herself and those who she made into humans through the Primordial Sea, her soul bound to suffering of the material world in the as the Harvisptokhm tree and fighting against the defilement that keeps oozing out on the surface.

The same could be said about Furina, who would be unable to bring consolation to anyone because deep down she, too, needed consolation that never came until Neuvillette reclaimed his authority over Hydro, forgave the people of Fontaine for their sins and recreated humans in a similar way Phanes did when he created humans by separating the Primordial Water from their bodies. She needed saving just as everyone else in Fontaine did.

And of course, so it stands true to Focalors who had to remain hidden in the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale and silent for the past 500 years to carry out her plan to deceive the Heavenly Principles and accumulate power born from people's faith in justice to ultimately destroy the throne of Hydro.

[bluexiao]

#danielle (castle of wings) 

Menu Description: A noble from Fontaine that owns Château d'ailes and longs to travel the whole of Teyvat. What most people don't know is that beneath the castle walls, there lies a secret she can never reveal.

Hello: “A pleasant day, I go by Danielle Villeneuve, it’s a pleasure to finally cross paths with you, traveler. I'm glad that I have decided to fulfill my wish of traveling the world.“ About Danielle: “I have had many names, and one of them is Abez, I think you already know that, hm?” 

Known Previous Names: Devonna, Adila, Yardena, Melusine True Name: Abez (Alter: Sin) Species: God, Sea Siren Vision: Hydro Rarity: 5-star  (☆☆☆☆☆) Weapon: Polearm Nation: Fontaine Voice Claims: Haruka Tomatsu & Tia Ballard

More About Danielle

I: “People of the past refer to me as Abez, the god of cleansing. Now, I am Danielle, the lady of Château d'ailes. This might be who I live for now, but I will always be a god.”

II: “I have always observed humans before and it was quite easy to live out what I’ve since then wanted to do. Being a mortal and immortal has its differences, but if I’d rather choose, I’d rather live a mortal life.” 

III: “I rule over purity and its counterpart. I share the burden of life and death, that is my duty, to cleanse. That was my only duty.” 

IV: “Tell you stories of my past? You must be curious about my relationship with the other gods. There have only been two gods that I’ve trusted. I’ve never associated myself with the other Archons, that's why I don’t really know who they truly are.” 

V: “Why do I still want to fight… an interesting question. A reason, huh? Because I’m a monster, maybe.”

Good…

Morning: “yawn Excuse me, but what day is it?”

Afternoon: “Do you want to watch the sunset with me later, my friend? Yes? Great!”

Evening: “I can make supper for us, I’ve been learning several cuisines, which one would you like for tonight?”

Night: “yawn There was a time when I spent every day deep in slumber. For some reason, I feel more at ease these days. Is it because you’re here with me?”

About the Vision: “You mean this? I see its value, but I don’t see its necessity for the likes of me, really.” 

About Gods: “Gods are born monsters. Loved by most, doubted by some, hated by few. I’ve stopped thinking about them for a very long time, but with this curse that is always with me wherever I go, how could I not?”

About Friends: “I’ve known a few deities whom I was ‘friends’ with, you could say. I know of a sea serpent and a sea monster, ancient gods who lost to their own, but how sure were the others to judge their impurities? We’ll never know.”  

About Us: Different: “I never mistake a pure soul when I see one. I believe that you are not like those I’ve met before, my friend. You’re different.” 

About Mortals: “I harbor a great amount of compassion and patience towards them, mostly because they had never done anything wrong to me anyway. Most mortals are pure of heart, you, my friend, I am certain you are as well.”

About “Sin”: “Sin is me, and I am Sin, but we are not the same. Sin is Abez’s alter, one who was made by the negative energy from others and the god herself. All the more, I am grateful for Sin, actually. She is the reason why Abez is the pure goddess that she is, but how is Sin faring, that is my only concern.”

Voicelines about Others

About Tsaritsa “I consider her as a good friend of mine—the Tsaritsa, as everyone calls her. I call her by her name, and she calls me by mine. We have a certain level of trust towards each other, and I consider Snezhnaya as a place close to home.”

About Zhongli “I admire his leadership, and we have a middle-ground, at the very least. But like other gods, trust is not something you can always wholly give, even for those whom you had a contract with beforehand.” 

About Venti “We never officially met before, but he sounds like an interesting character. A friend of mine disregards him due to past conflicts but I do not judge another based on other opinions.”

About Baal “Do you mean… I honestly do not know much about the God of Inazuma, but since you are asking, I feel like she and I could get along, but I do not intend to either.” 

About Hu Tao “Hu Tao is a mixture of life and death, I see why fate ought me to meet her. She’s an interesting character as well, there is never a dull moment when I’m with her.” 

About Xiao: Innocence “There was a yaksha that I met before; tainted with impurity, but laced with an innocence deep inside of his soul, hiding from the harsh reality of the world. He was the reason I met Morax back then. As a reward for saving the yaksha, we made a contract that changed all of our lives.” 

About Xiao: Agreement “Xiao was the reason I met Morax back then. As a reward for saving the yaksha, we made a contract that changed all of our lives. The past is not something to dwell with, but I’m grateful for what he’s done.”

About Qiqi “The little girl... we are so much alike, you could say. Frozen in a moment in time, trapped in a body neither possessed before. It must be why I feel attached to her, at the very least.”

About Xiangling “I have taken a liking to taste out food by Xiangling. I admire her passion and drive, she has a true, irreplaceable talent.”

About Alice “I met her several times during her stay in Fontaine. A frivolous woman, I’d say. She reminds me of… the people who I lost before.”

Voicelines about Danielle

Xiao - About Danielle: Secrets “Do I know her? You could say I do. If you wish to know more about her, it's futile to ask me, it's best to come to her yourself instead. It's not my place to reveal her secrets.”

Xiao - About Danielle: Trust “If you already know who she is, she must have trusted you already. Trust… I don’t see a reason why someone like her sees me as trustworthy, not after… forget it. The past is not something to dwell with.”

Zhongli - About Danielle: Suggestions “Danielle... you must mean Lady Villeneuve. She can brew one of the most outstanding teas I ever had, I suggest you join us when we have some one day. What else? Well, she is good with her sword skills, from what I could recall, maybe you could have her teach you some of her tricks.”

Zhongli - About Danielle: Sealed Contract “We had a contract, yes. It's not something I could disclose, but we both have fulfilled each of our ends. It is finished.” 

Hu Tao - About Danielle “Hu Tao is shh shh! Dani’s a good friend of mine so I respect her secrets! Whatever she’s keeping, even if I know it or not, I still won’t say anything out loud!~ Do I know it? Ah ah ah! I won’t say anything!”

Tartaglia - About Danielle “She has a certain value towards justice but since she is probably the only friend Her Majesty has, she is valuable and we Harbingers are careful not to disrespect her in any way. Sometimes, we mortals are just bound to see where the gods will take us. Oh? Did I say something? Forget it!”

Qiqi - About Danielle “Danielle… Qiqi wrote about her in her notebook… She helps Qiqi get Violetgrasses when Qiqi needs them. Danielle is very kind.”

Xiangling - About Danielle “You mean my daily customer? She’s willing to try anything I make since she said she wants to try out Liyue cuisines. The only time she refused was when I said I included a bug there laughs”

Story

1: Danielle Villeneuve, the lady of the Château d'ailes wished to explore the whole of Teyvat and live like a simple human, even if she had been given a Vision the moment she stepped foot on land again. She wanted to live peacefully but her past and identity are the very things that hold her back. Thus, she stayed as who she was while accepting the fact that she remains as the god who had and will always have a single purpose; to cleanse. 

2: ​​There are very few ancient gods that have lived and survived throughout the years, and who would have known one of them walks and lives amongst the humans, wandering as a noble traveler, seemingly as normal as one could be.  “You don’t have the aura of a mortal, what are you?” when Danielle was asked by Liyue’s Adeptus, she didn’t know whether to answer him truthfully or not. She had awoken from her slumber in Liyue, but the very first who greets her was a being that she had known from before. Yet he surely doesn’t recognize or know her. She appeared as a human indeed, yet her soul was not. No matter how far she could fool anyone, it was difficult to do the same to herself. Adapting into the mortal world was harder and harsher than she thought, and yet she pursued, in hopes that this might be her last seal with her destiny—to live as a mortal, and to die as one.

3: After Liyue, she went to Snezhnaya and became friends with the Cryo Archon. The Tsaritsa was well aware of her and her powers, but Danielle saw her as a friend, and she thinks it was the same for the others as well. She stayed there for many years and only moved to Fontaine in hopes of getting answers from the god who had given her a Vision—abilities lesser than her own but enough to get by. Despite knowing the Archon’s true intentions, Danielle still wanted to see if there was any purity in her.

4: Everyone knew about the tale of the six-winged goddess of purity, but nobody knew the real reason why she lost five of them. Abez had once adored both mortal and immortal alike, thinking there will always be good inside each of them. That everyone was pure, and they can only be tainted by the impurity. It was the reason why she was alive, to rid the impurity and make others good. How wrong she was. When the other gods betrayed her, she was scarred by what they had done, and it caused her to leave everyone alone, letting the impurity rise until it began the renowned archon war. She realized that impurity can never be erased, no matter how much she would get rid of it. People speculated that her wings faltered by the time she backed away from everyone, thinking she died miserable and alone. Books nowadays say that she cut it off, as a pang of guilt for starting the war, even if was not to blame for any of the other gods’ actions. The least known of the theories was that it was cut by the gods who betrayed her. And even if she wouldn’t admit to it, it was the truth. Til this day, Abez mourns the day she had lost her wings, but she does not blame the one who had taken them from her, and not to herself for the war that emerged from impurity. She had already repented by sealing herself and living off in the future, where she surely knows that her power will be needed once again, for the sake of Teyvat.

5: Danielle had always held the past as a reference for the future, despite having no repercussions or regrets, she wanted the future to be better than the past or even the present. But it is not as simple as that. With a new, much simpler goal in mind, she began searching for her wings, exploring the world of Teyvat as a front of what her goals were. Though she may have only realized it when she met past acquaintances or friends from Liyue, through them, she was able to come to a conclusion of what she must do, for now.

Vision: The tides were low and the seas were restless, eyes fluttered open and she breathed for the first time in years. The seals around her were broken, but a new one arises as she soars to find land, to seek the air she needed. It appeared and formed in her hands, beneath the sky and the land that was not once there; a bright blue light emitting on it, its shape nor form not familiar for her back then. But once she did, she knew it was another seal that was meant to bind her to the grasps of those who seek for her, just like it once did before. 

Gloves and Feathers: “She was once a beautiful goddess, adorned with six wings that let her glide into the wind and fly above mountains. Now, all that was left was one; one that couldn’t even let her do any of those anymore.” Abez was known for her legend of being the one-winged god. Some say she was punished for harming humans and gods tore off her wings, some say she tore it off herself. No one knows the truth, but Morax knows to himself that there is a reason why Abez chose to make a contract and save the yakshas from their abusive masters. The glove that Danielle wears is a symbolism of the wing she had before she sealed herself and her powers while the feathers that adorn her parasole symbolizes the five wings she had way back, a memory of what she once had and not anymore.

More Pictures (picrews)

Link of Full Details // Talents and Skills  

[thatringboy]

Meet my OC Maei! She’s a Geo Archer from Natlan!

Optimistic Avenger

“I used to only exist to make my superiors happy, but now I exist to find my own happiness!”

A young outlander who hails from the Muratan Clan. She hopes to one day grow strong enough to protect her new family and friends from her mysterious past

General Information

Name: Maei Fa

Age: 29

Affiliation: ???

Birthdate: September 22

Starsign: Virgo

Constellation: Beatus Luto

Weapon: Bow

Vision: Geo

Voice Claims

CVA: 纯良少女小菊花酱 (if someone can find her name in the English alphabet I will love you forever)

JVA: Asami Seto

EVA: Daniella Medrano

Voice Lines

Hello: Hi! I’m Maei Fa! Need me to draw you up a map? Build a mud castle? Take down some bad guys? I’m up for the task!

Good Morning: Good morning, Traveler! Tell me, what do you want for breakfast? I’ll make it super quick!

Good Afternoon: Yo, are we stopping to eat? When the sun’s up, so is my hunger! … don’t tell Yangyue though

Good Evening: C’mon, I’ve still got some time to spare, let’s keep going

Good Night: *Yawn* Are we setting up camp? Or should I switch into my energy reserves?

When It Rains: Let’s go jump in the mud! Don’t call me childish!

When It Snows: Brr… last time I was this cold was the last time Yangyue and I fought and she “conveniently” didn’t pin down our tent flap all the way

When It’s Sunny: Ah the sun’s out! Let’s go run across the beach to catch some crabs!

Favorite Food: Mhmm, I’m in the mood for… Chicken Skewers! Just put some meat over a campfire and rub some spices over it… man my mouth is watering at the thought

Least Favorite Food: I’m not a fan of sweets… Yangyue’s the one with the sweet tooth in this relationship, not me

About: Vision: My Vision? I don’t like to talk about my past a lot, but I trust you with this information. After I discarded my old identity, I ran into the forests of Fontaine to hide from my enemies. I sat in the woods for three weeks eating nothing but bugs and berries and wallowing in my own self pity. I wished that the ground would swallow me up and bury me for the sins I committed. Instead, I woke up to a new morning and to find a Vision next to me. I met the love of my life that very same day

About: Interests: I’m a Cartography nerd on the inside. I could spend hours detailing a map of Inazuma’s Watatsumi island! There’s something so satisfying about stepping away from a completed map of a region and putting the first pin in. Do you want to see my most recent project?

About Childe: I haven’t been in contact with Ajax for a little bit. He hasn’t checked in like he’s supposed to with Yangyue… did something happen to him during his assignment in Liyue? Oh, Traveler, did I say that out loud? J-Just pretend you didn’t hear any of that!

About Diluc: You know the Darknight Hero? How do I know him? Eh, it’s been about a year since we last spoke, but we teamed up together a few times in the past. What were we doing? Oh, uh, I-I think I hear Yangyue calling me!

About Yangyue: She’s my wife! We met at a conference in Fontaine’s capital city… actually right outside of it since I wasn’t invited in hehehe… She was representing the Milileth of Liyue and had gotten into an argument with some trade partners, so she stepped outside to take a breather. I smacked right into her and made her drop all of her things! Ack, I was SO embarrassed! Six years later, here we are!

About Iansan: I’ve heard a bit about her, but not much to make a profile of her character. She sounds like a chaotic kid, a bit like me as a little girl, hehe

About: Knights of Favonius: So that creep Eroch was finally fired, Eh? Y-you want to know how I know about private gossip from Mondstat? Let’s just say I know a guy

About: Family: I… haven’t had a real family in a while. I don’t even remember the face of my father… I thought I had a family with… this one group I used to run with. But I was deeply wrong and I can’t take back the things I did with them. Now, Yangyue and I have our own family with her mom and some other people who wish to remain anonymous hehehe

About: The Fatui: … The Fatui only know how to steal and kill. They burned down my home village, murdered my parents, extorted my people and—! … *Sigh* and I did worse things than even all that.

About: “Innamorati”: How do you know that name?! Who told you that information?! I bet he told you! Oh, when I get my hands on that little shi— what does it mean? To put it firmly, it means “the immortal lovers”. It was a name that mocked the way my parents - our village’s only Vision holders - died in each other’s arms. I never want to hear that name fall from your lips again, do you understand me?

About: Numbers: I’ve gotta say, my favorite number has to be twenty-three. Why? Because my beloved was born on the twenty-third day of the second month! It’s hard to forget a birthday that is two-twenty-three! My least favorite number will always be eleven, I’m sure you can guess why

About: Weapons: What made me choose to use a bow despite my Vision? Well, I grew up training under my village leader to be a hunter for the community. When that all went south, I became a sharpshooter to make do in… less than desirable circumstances. Once I freed myself, I went back to my roots and took up a bow once more. And I have to say: I’m pretty good with it!

[kozarukun]

“Contrary to popular belief, the main volcano in Ignis has only erupted three times in recorded history. 

Perhaps it wasn’t the most traditional way to tell a ghost story, but all of Ignis’s tales were deeply rooted in history, lest it be consumed in fire. Oral traditions demanded faithful recounting, and Hideyoshi had recited this particular tale so many times he could do it backwards. 

He saunters to the front of the crowd, steps rather light for the theme of the evening (the occasional ‘thunk’ of his staff against the floor the only unsettling thing about him). He holds up one finger as he does, beginning before he reaches ‘center stage’, “The first was said to be brought on by Groudon, titan of Earth’s inner flame, right after the region was abandoned by God. Without the righteousness and order of the Holy One, the sins and failings of mortals corrupted the remaining gods, tainting their hearts and bringing forth Armageddon as humanity deserved for their transgressions against Arceus. Of course, as all things, the rage of the various deities has subsided, but as many warlords here can attest to, the wounds left by the beasts can still be felt in traditions and stories of today.”

Finally at his destination, the warlord turned with a flourish, punctuating the movement with a rather forceful tap of his staff to the floor. “Much like Fontaine, my people took an active approach to preventing the same fate from befalling future generations. Our holy men seered visions of darkness within the volcano, an ever bubbling danger that threatened life as they had begun to know it. While the titan had exhausted itself in the mountain’s creation, it was only a matter of time before the vices of man brought him back.”

“That’s why our ancestors offered the mountain sacrifice- In order to keep the inevitable at bay, they believed by delivering onto the titan the purest souls Ignis had to offer, they would purify the energy of the volcano, sating the god for the time being.”

“Of course, after Heatran- the volcano goddess birthed of one of these sacrifices- appeared, the titan had retreated deep into the desert and Ignis thought itself saved. The kingdom ushered in a new era of prosperity.”  Hideyoshi gestured out suddenly, hand moving slowly across the air as though he could see it in front of him, “mining the ore rich mountains, crops flourishing in the now nutrient rich volcanic soil, thriving.”

Just as suddenly his other hand drove his staff hard into the ground, his aura reaching out to snuff out the fire behind him in time with the thudding impact. He gave the crowd only a moment to recover before he began anew, his voice low and foreboding, “Our golden age was met with terrible envy. A tyrant from the east had swept a plague over the region. Blood ran through every kingdom during with advance, and it was only a matter of time before they choked the life out of our golden state. We had reveled in our bounties for too long and had grown soft. There was no way to prepare for war.”

A beat, “Or, so the people thought.”

“Those that held fast against mortal temptations, the monks of the kingdom, looked across the land, both to the invaders and their own flesh and blood, saw nothing but wickedness. Ignis had grown fat with indulgence while the rest of the region starved. We sat comfortably in our homes while those we called allies were slaughtered. The invaders pillaged and ravaged lands with nothing worth taking. They killed those who pleaded mercy.”

A small flame ignited within the cusp of his palm, illuminating his face from below. 

“None of them deserved to live.”

“They made pilgrimage to the mountain, calling forth the Aggron who resided within. The Pokemon are revered as children of Groudon, born of the iron within the earth and forging the landscape of the mountain after its erection. They controlled the will of the earth, and through the monk’s forced links, they controlled the fate of the south.”

A sudden boom overtook his voice as well as the fire in his hand, commanding the room in both sound and light, “Combining the power of the demigods, the monks triggered earthquakes around the mountain, releasing the pressure and dark mana from below in a powerful blast! Kingdoms as far north as Dragnor told of an ominous smoke across the horizon. Entire villages were swallowed by lava, people choked on the smoke caked to their throats. Those who escaped the initial onslaught could be counted the unlucky.”

Slowly, the light began to diminish in turn with his volume. Despair hung in his words, “The sun was imprisoned behind a tower of smoke for days. Any Pokemon taken for hunt were cut away to reveal ashen, black meat. Water was nearly impossible to find, and that which was could be considered more toxic than the air. Ignis was dead. The invaders were dead.”

The fire was dead. 

“................Or, so we all thought.” 

It took a great deal of effort, but Hideyoshi managed to spark the fire behind him back to life, albeit much dimmer than the one their hosts had prepared. He leaned heavily on his staff, taking a second to breathe before going on. 

“Every year, on the anniversary of the Great Eruption, we celebrate and give thanks to the Goddess of the volcano for her mercy and bounties, but we have not forgotten the suffering that was inflicted to bring us where we are today. At the witching hour of the volcano’s eruption, every citizen of Ignis adhere’s to an hour of silence to pay respects to those lost.”

His head hung heavy, “Each of us stays perfectly still, heads bowed to the chimes of local temples or horns of the gate watch, as looking up spells nothing but misfortune for the unfortunate soul caught in the wave of the dead.”

“While worthy souls are reincarnated into the cycle of life, there are those that God and the cycle have judged unworthy to walk anew in the land of the living, and are thus trapped in purgatory upon the land. They relive their greatest sins away from the eyes of man, but there are times when the veil between the two worlds are at its thinnest. The dawning hours of an invasion, the dark night of a storm, or the day where all life was extinguished at once.”

He kicked his staff forward with a step, the wood clunking down. And again. And again. Slowly he retreated from the front of the room, idling off to the side. He was sure to inflect his voice accordingly, “Each year, the dammed make their escape from an endless flow of lava, compelling their bloodied and tattered feet forward with each lurching step. Their muscles are black with decay, flaking ash with every movement, yet they cannot seem to find the sweet release of complete disintegration. They reach out to us, bones jutting from melted flesh. They try and call, but their lungs have since become dust, leaving nothing but an agonized wail of the wind and a puff of soot where breath once blew.”

He stopped, forcing uncomfortable eye contact with whomever was closest to him (and the buffet table)

“If you dare look up, if you dare catch a glance of these ashen husks, it is said that their ember eyes consume your very soul, leaving you as empty as they are. In three days time, you lose all will. No drive to eat. No desire to drink. Nothing can compel movement- not even the sting of a whip or caress of a loved one. From ashes to ashes, and to ash you shall be, joining them in their march.”

“And if you were to taunt them with your tongue? Speak a word in anything other than prayer? You face the fate of those who lived just beyond the hour.” Hideyoshi reached behind him, taking with his unstaffed hand a leg of Pidove to bring forward and point for emphasis, “No water may quench the burning thirst in your throat. All food turns to naught but ash in your teeth. In a manner of days you’ll be nothing- bone to dust.��

Of course, being warlord and a religious man, the roasted piece of poultry he just bit into was not at all ashen. As expected of Dragnor, it was delicious! 

“So, you know, if any of you guys want to come to Ignis for the festival, its fun the other twenty three hours!”

[pamphletstoinspire]

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux - Feast Day: August 20th - Both Calendars

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux composed the famous prayer to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary known as: " The Memorare"

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux was born in the year 1090 at Fontaines-les-Dijon and he died 63 years later in his monastery at Clairvaux.

It is not very hard to find the lineaments of the grown man in the childhood of Bernard. Like many gifted and highly strung characters, he suffered all his life from megrim, and one of the first things we know about him is that, when he was only a child, he drove from the room a local 'wise-woman' who had been called in to charm away his headache. He seems to have been a youth of uncommon good looks and intelligence; yet, if we may judge the child from what we know of the man, there could have been little of the prig about him. Nevertheless, when he was 22 years old, he chose to become a monk. This would have been nothing out of the ordinary in those days if he had elected to join one of the rich and powerful monasteries of Benedictine monks, where his gifts and the influence of his family would have assured for him a distinguished career; but he did nothing of the sort; instead he chose to enter an obscure house a few miles to the south of his home, that was known locally as the New Monastery or, for some reason that is not perfectly clear, Citeaux.

This monastery had been founded some years previously by a group of enthusiasts who wanted to live quite simply according to the letter of St. Benedict’s rule; but the place had not prospered, the life was austere, and the whole project was crumbling for lack of recruits. Naturally enough Bernard’s family were horrified at his choice, they thought it madness for a delicate young man like Bernard to attempt such a life; but he ended by taking his uncle, all his brothers, and most of his friends with him. Altogether he led no less than about thirty young men to Citeaux- - all the gilded youth of his neighborhood. In his Apologia Bernard gives us the reason for this surprising choice of his when he implies that, much as he admired the usual Benedictine way of life, his own nature was so passionate that it needed stronger medicine, and nothing that we know of him contradicts this view that he had of himself.

This influx of new blood very soon infused Citeaux with life; the fashion started by Bernard and his companions was presently followed by an ever-increasing number of young men. The Englishman St. Stephen Harding was abbot at the time, and fortunately he was an administrator of genius as well as a saint and a scholar. Very soon he was sending out small groups of monks to found other monasteries on the same pattern as the mother house, and, within three years of his arrival, Bernard’s turn came. He set out at the head of twelve other monks and chose, as the site for his new monastery, a valley not far from Bar-sur-Aube and adjoining the territory of his kinsmen. It was known as the Valley of Wormwood; soon it became even better known as the Valley of Light, or Clairvaux.

The first years of the new foundation were not easy, the community suffered every sort of privation, the monks went short of even the bare necessities, and Bernard himself fell ill. Clearly he had been driving both himself and his monks too hard; when he recovered sufficiently to take his place again as abbot, he had learned how to be gentle and tolerant with others if not with himself. By this time his fame had spread, men came from great distances to seek his help, and he was repeatedly being called in to arbitrate in disputes. This did not please everyone, for Bernard was no respecter of persons: he held strong views and did not fear to express them, his wit could be devastating, and he had little understanding of lesser men than himself or patience with their pettiness. Very soon he got a curt letter from Rome telling him to stay in his monastery and not meddle with what did not concern him. Nothing would have pleased him better than to stay in his monastery, but he felt the good of the church did concern him, and he was not afraid to write back a very spirited reply.

He was an ardent advocate of the Hildebrand reforms, but he thought the centralization of the church had gone far enough and, while staunchly upholding the prerogatives of the Holy See, he did not believe it necessary to flatter the Pope. But when the schism in the papacy threatened to shipwreck the church, and he was called out of his monastery again, he went forth with reluctance; but it was due to him that the anti-pope was defeated and the church was able to right herself. By this time he was known all over Europe, and the whole world seemed to turn to him for advice and help,. When men could not visit him in person they wrote to him, and Bernard made a point of answering all his letters, even those from the most humble people. Only a part of his huge correspondence survives, but it is one of the chief sources for the history of the time, and better still, it gives us a vivid impression of the writer, no ethereal spirit but a man of flesh and blood like ourselves.

As the protagonist of the Cistercian reform he came into controversy with the Benedictine monks of the great congregation of Cluny. He respected their way of life but could not condone the abuses prevalent in some houses of the order. Yet the abbot of Cluny, Peter the Venerable, remained one of his most loyal friends. Bernard’s fierce opposition to Peter Abelard is well known. He objected to the novel theories of Abelard, but he objected even more strongly to the way he discussed sacred matters in the market place and to his bumptious behavior. The first thought of Bernard was always for the faith of simple people and in every controversy he was on the side of conservatism against novelties; but he was a friend of learning and a patron of scholars, notably of Robert Pullen and John of Salisbury.

During all this time Clairvaux had been growing and founding daughter houses all over Europe, so that it seemed that, under Bernard’s influence, all the world was becoming Cistercian. Although one of the most busy men of his times, he did not neglect his monks; he remained all his life a monk and a mystic before all else and always found time to instruct his monks, as well as to compose his superb commentaries on the mystical meaning of the Song of Songs, besides several other theological and mystical treatises. But his declining years were saddened by the failure of the second Crusade. The pope imposed upon him the duty of preaching it and, at his words, all Europe sprang to arms; but it was always his weakness that he could not understand the base motives of lesser men than himself. As soon as they were away from his influence the Crusades forgot the high ideals with which he had inspired them and ruined the expedition by fighting among themselves and by deeds unworthy of Christian men. Nevertheless this did not prevent them from blaming Bernard for the catastrophe they had brought upon themselves, so that, like many other saints and like Christ himself, he died, on August 20th in the year 1153, under the cloud of apparent failure.

After his death men realized that a prophet had passed from their midst, and all Europe mourned. Twenty-two years later Pope Alexander III canonized him, and his feast day is kept on the anniversary of his death. In the year 1830 he was formally accorded the title 'doctor of the church.' He lived before the birth of Scholasticism, and, because his teaching is still in the main stream of patristic tradition, he is often known as the last of the Fathers.

*

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. - Amen - (By Saint Bernard of Clairvaux).

*

The Litany of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

For Private Use Only.

Lord, have mercy on us,

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,

Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world,

Have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God,

Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

Pray for us.

Queen conceived without sin,

Pray for us.

Saint Bernard, etc.

St. Bernard, who in giving thyself to God, drew many souls to Him,

St. Bernard, prodigy of the eleventh age,

St. Bernard, ornament of the clergy,

St. Bernard, terror of heretics,

St. Bernard, oracle of the Church,

St. Bernard, light of bishops,

St. Bernard, most humble,

St. Bernard, burning with zeal for the glory of God,

St. Bernard, most ardent for the honor of Mary,

St. Bernard, most beloved son of the Queen of Angels,

St. Bernard, most pure in body and mind,

St. Bernard, perfect model of poverty and mortification,

St. Bernard, most ardent in charity to all,

St. Bernard, who feared God and not earthly powers,

St. Bernard, whose whole exterior breathed holiness,

St. Bernard, whose very look spoke of God,

St. Bernard, flower of religious,

St. Bernard, who never lost sight of the presence of God,

St. Bernard, angel of Clairvaux,

St. Bernard, always absorbed in God,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Here us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,

Have mercy on us.

Let Us Pray.

O great Saint, who from the very dawn of life turned all the powers of thy soul and the noble affections of thy pure and loving heart toward thy Creator; O angel clothed in mortal flesh, who appeared in this valley of tears as a bright lily of purity to shed around thee the good odor of Christ, to show to all the beauty of virtue, and to point out to thousands the way to Heaven-----O pray for us, that truly despising all earthly objects, we may live for God alone. R. Amen.

*

Image is of the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary To Saint Bernard by Fra Bartolomeo c. 1504

[hungribunni]

Sermon by guest pastor, Ps Leon Fontaine

Offering song: People Need The LORD "At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door." 🎤😮 Ps Leon Fontaine - one of the four pillars of TBN There's a term God gave him a while ago. Unless the church becomes both spiritually alive and contemporary relevant to the places we are and people we speak to, the church will struggle otherwise Need to be spiritually filled with His joy, peace, grace, knowledge and remember the HS flows through us. Don't embarrass God. Don't say or do things that are condescending. To be spirit contemporary. Talk about HS today. Leon's dad was a pastor and he spent 14y working under the ministry. Supported himself for 7y as a paramedic. The church he was in had a beautiful worship ambience. One night was called to the scene of a horrible accident. Child lying faced down in a ditch. Passed away. Mother and another child were hanging by their seat belts. As he looked in the water and saw the blood in the water. He heard the mother crying and groaning. Something in him cried out to God. We need the power of Jesus here in the ditch more than we need in the church last night. He was raised in a church where they said the HS was a dove. Bible didn't say HS is a dove. Moves like a dove. They felt like if u made too much noise, the HS would fly away. Too excited or loud the HS would leave. So ushers tried to control the noise and people. No worship team and a crying mum and a ditch. No ushers to control the scene. No worship team. Most preachers would lose their anointing in the face of such a terrible scene. He prayed God I want your miraculous to fill me and God spoke clearly to him. I want to teach u to move in the things of the Spirit outside the four walls of the church. U folks where u work don't have a band to play P&W music when u want to pray for a colleague. U won't have a choir following you everywhere. U need to know God has designed u such that the HS is in you and is released in the miraculous even if no one but u is around. Leon's dad was 14-15yo and given 3y to live. His great grandma dragged him to a service where there was a healer and he was completely healed. He was so passionate for God and the HS would often guide him to stop at houses to pray for healing for people. He was just driving by a home when he sensed someone was dying and that he should pray for them. They had just fetched their dad home to die from the hospital. They had just put their dad on the couch. He was sent to die at home. Leon's dad shared the story of the finished work with them and he was able to receive his miracle. He was instantly healed and his 8 kids were all saved because of ONE miracle. When the spirit of truth has come, He will guide u into all truth. Whatever he uses he will speak and he will tell u things to come. We have a lot of knowledge of the Spirit but it stops us from flowing. The HS doesn't decide not to heal people today. He wants to flow forth from us into other people. To guide us with incredible accuracy as to who, when, how. A witness is someone who has witnessed something. The HS will send u to witness to others. What has God done for u? How has he given u peace or broken an addiction that enslaved u formerly? How has he healed u? Your job isn't to figure out why good people died. U share what u have witnessed/ experienced... What u have seen. The former ministry he worked under thought the fivefold ministry = pros, laity= rookies. No. In the OT, priests and prophets had anointing. In NT, we ALL have Jesus the anointed one who is in us. I didn't get all of Jesus and u got half or quarter of him. HS Power- inherent, permanent, inseparable. Can be released and never leaves. THE HS POWER we receive is to help us have moral excellence and spiritual excellence. When u are a born again believer, u could handle anything and be guided to excel in that area. Not just from church platform. Everywhere u go, the HS will flow. Empowered to prosper us at work. Anchor mind and heart in the Word to see miracles take place. Leon's parents had a sense of humour. He has twin brothers called Rock and Roll. If they bring drugs or anything contraband at home, she would walk right to where the things were hidden and flush them down the toilet. They knew mum and dad were guided by the HS. He could not do a wigglesworth and throw people against the wall and yell out LIVE! He would quietly go into rooms to pray for patients and saw miracle after miracle take place. Once Elsie, someone working in church, fell and busted her hip. She won't let the doctors touch her until he prayed for her. He went there and the doc and nurses were tensed. He prayed. After the procedure they scanned her and she was healed. After he left, her foot turned the right way around. But it was way too short. Then she cried, God. The leg extended and clicked in place. They have X-rays to prove this miracle. Once Leon was preparing and reading at a restaurant and felt he wasn't allowed to go out that door. Turned and went to the kitchen and got into his car. He turned the corner and saw two men standing outside the restaurant with a knife. He has received death threats before and the HS guided him to safety. Presence of God is in us. We need to be aware and let Him flow through us and to touch others for Him. Once he felt he had to back to work. He was supposed to go home for supper. But obeyed. As he arrived, saw a hubcap spinning. Car accident. The guy was dead. Heart stopped. Leon breathed in him and said LIVE in Jesus' name. The attendants didn't do any CPR. Leon was weirded out so followed them back to hospital. Asked medics and they said he had a normal heart beat. Leon visited him. He was in bed and not responding. Leon went three nights to share about Jesus to him. He asked the guy if u can hear me, blink twice. He blinked twice. And he managed to communicate with the guy and get him to receive Jesus. Went back the next day, the guy wasn't around. He had passed away that night. Leon was able to share Jesus with the man so he could escape hell and make Heaven. He could have died unsaved but was able to receive Jesus before passing away. At a university, he prayed. A ton of things happened. A lady began to scream. Her 12yo girl with braces felt pain through her leg and they pulled the braces off because it hurt. Her leg was perfectly healed. Another corner a lady who carved words calling herself horrible things, horribly demonically possessed, the very scars that formed the words disappeared. They took her to the toilet and checked and ALL the scars and words on her body were gone. God had touched and healed her. The world that we speak to need Jesus so bad. I was with u in the demonstration of the power of God. I want u to know that around u there are people who want to take their lives, people need the LORD. Some dress nice but are dying inside. And if only someone could see that. Leon went to Starbucks and if anyone stands out to him, that's HS nudging him. He went to speak to a guy whom the HS nudged him to check out. Didn't join him and go GOD ASKED ME TO SPEAK TO U. Be contemporary, be cool and be relevant. He just asked politely if he could join him. They chatted and Leon asked hey u look down, are u ok? The guy shared that his wife was lying in the hospital and dying. Leon said the church he goes to, they pray for people who aren't well. Asked if they could pray for her. Got her name and they parted ways. When he returned two months later to the same cafe, he walked in and this guy calls out to him. He heads over. Leon forgot who he was. He shared that he went back to the hospital after the coffe break, the doctors who said she was hopeless, they suddenly were able to treat her and in a week's time she went home healthy and cancer free. U don't have to be a pastor for God to use you. A pastor is like a coach. The coach should be on the bench and the players, the saints should be ministering on the field. It's not a very interesting game if 40 chubby coaches are running on a field. The police have Leon's number and they would call him for help. One day he responded to the police's call. A guy was frothing and yelling away. The guy and his family were doing drugs and gambling. He took the rifle and sprayed family with bullets. Couldn't kill himself. Could not reach the rifle trigger. The bullets didn't kill anyone. But they couldn't calm him down. Leon walked into the room and the guy started saying all sorts of cuss and swear words. Leon walked up to him and said In Jesus name, young man I'm going to help u. The man calmed down. Twitching as he sat on the chair. Said to him, none of your family is dead. He broke down and sob. Alcohol and drug makes people do things they don't wanna do. He asked what should he do. Leon prayed with him and told him about Jesus. He received Jesus. Spoke to him about legally what he might take place but they could pray favour over the situation. He brightened up and the peace of God came over him. The police watching them were in shock. Lol. HS comes into u and sealed in U when U receive Jesus. There is a one way valve - your fear and sin can't go back into u. The HS is in u. Learn to sense Him. 1 Cor Don't be unaware of the spiritual gifts. Must understand the spiritual. Don't be ignorant of that which moves in the HS. Don't be so in tune with your flesh u can't release from your spirit. 1 Cor 14:1 Pursue love but desire earnestly the spiritual gifts. Seek actively and be so passionate about the gifts of the Spirit. Pursue love first then desire earnestly with a passion. 1 Cor 12:31 Desire earnestly the best gifts. The best gift is the one u need for the situation u are in. Leon was once attacked by a guy holding an iron rod. He said in Jesus name. The man suddenly dropped the iron rod, and ran afraid away from Leon. That's HS! Leon went by a bad bar at a rough part of town. 5 men jumped off the bar stool and circled him. Leon was asked what he was doing there. He said he was there to share Jesus with people and Jesus is His friend. The guy mocked him and said he and his friends would whack him. Leon told him well the bible says the angels will protect him or give him the strength to whack them up. They were shocked. They have never met a minister like that. They were curious to know what is the Jesus He knew and He spent time to preach Jesus to them :) Leon loves the one on one where God just brings him into a situation where a miracle is about to take place. HS will look after u. His health and healing and favour is on u. HS doesn't just show u u are righteous and loved. Also reminds u the enemy has been defeated. When people die, whoever owns them comes for them. U will sense and know His presence in the inner man. God wants to use u in a very special way. HS will help u in every area of your life. Don't forget He is there for u. Some miracles are instant and some are recovery - they might not happen right away but will happen over time but the healing has taken place. Amen. :) Leon shares a lady with a lump wasnt healed right away but 9m later it was gone. It shrank slowly every day. A person who was half paralysed felt sad as he didn't get instantly healed. Leon explained recovery to him. Leon asked him to wriggle his toe. He couldn't but now could. There was a lady whose ankle was immobile. As she left the church to go to her car, she stepped down the sidewalk and there was a crack and she got a new ankle joint. Hallelujah!!

[beauty-andtheblonde-blog]

Hello lovelies!

Do I have some things to share! For those of you who may not be familiar, RuPaul is an Iconic drag queen who started making the art of drag a more mainstream and widely accepted community through means of being the first drag queen to land a cosmetic campaign (with MAC nonetheless), raising money for aids research, and more popularly known- hosting shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag U; shows that bring “undiscovered” queens with unmatched talent into the spotlight. Ru’s empire has been growing consistently since the start of his career, so a convention seemed like the obvious next step and DragCon was born!

Overview

DragCon has something for every kind of drag fan, which made for a diverse crowd. Meet and Greet’s were going on all day for those of us who had specific queens we wanted to meet (stay tuned for my post about meeting Cynthia Lee Fontaine tomorrow!). There were also dozens of vendors with all kinds of padding, jewelry, and costumes for queens that were in attendance, and there were a few cosmetic companies and other miscellaneous vendors as well! OCC, Jefree Star, Sugarpill, Ardell, Alcone, and Ricky’s NYC were all there, so I got to pick up some staple products and play with new ones! Each queen also had their own booth to sell their merchandise in, and there were some companies selling patches, pins, artwork, clothing, and pretty much anything else you can think of!

I will say, it was so crowded. This was great for all the business owners and vendors, but as a guest, it was so hard to actually do anything at the show. Lines to get into booths were crazy, which is expected. The length of the lines didn’t bother me as much as the lack of organization did. The last event I was at that was as crowded as DragCon had very distinct lines and labels. A lot of our time was spent asking what line we were in, and maneuvering around a line we accidentally got stuck in. It was just so difficult to get into booths; even the ones that weren’t that crowded. I really just felt like I was getting herded like a cow. Because the queens who had booths were doing meet and greets in their own booths, instead of a designated area, the situation only got worse as more queens came out for photos. If there was a designated area for queens to hold their meetings and take photos, I feel like the show floor would have been a lot less congested and things would have moved more smoothly. This being said, please don’t take this as me not liking the event. I had so much fun.

First of all, you could tell that everyone in the ballroom was so genuinely accepting of everyone who attended, and everyone there had some degree of love and appreciation for the art of drag. Seeing this kind of love and coexistence in such time of political unrest and social discrepancies made me feel like there are still good people in the world. You could literally walk into this event and find every kind of gender, race, identity, and orientation. I would bet money on the fact that not a single person felt out of place  or underrepresented there. It always amazes me how the communities that are so often subjected to hate and discrimination, are the same ones to embrace whoever might stumble upon them.

As far as shopping goes, the booths I did some damage in on Saturday were Sugarpill, OCC, Ricky’s NYC, Strange Ways, Madame Whiskers, the DragCon booth, and Farrah Moan’s booth. Keep reading to find out what new thing I got to play with!

Day One- Shopping!

Sugarpill

The line for Sugarpill was bearable and pretty easy to maneuver; definitely not the worst line of the day! There was a show discount of about $2 per item. So, eyeshadow pans were $8 instead of $10, pressed shadows were $10 instead of $12 and so on and so forth. I picked up three eyeshadow pans and one liquid lipstick. I desperately wanted the shade Dollipop- a bright pink that happens to be Farrah Moan’s signature pink eyeshadow. But, unsurprisingly the shade quickly sold out. I did end up with Kim Chi (left), Velocity (right), and Poison Plum (center), as well as the Strange Love liquid lipstick. I definitely plan on using these shadows for day 2 so stay tuned to see what I come up with!

OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics)

OCC was having an awesome show deal and there was no line at all! The staff was super friendly and welcoming, and let you take as long as you needed to play around with samples and decide what you wanted to purchase (I was definitely having some trouble deciding what color glitters I wanted). I ended up with two glitters, a liquid lip, and a lip liner! Spoiler, I use this blue glitter for day 2 as well.

Ricky’s NYC

Ok, I told myself I WAS NOT going to spend money at Ricky’s since I go there more often than I’d like to admit. BUT, in my defense, everything in the booth was 25% off. It would be a sin not to take advantage of 25% off in a store that carries Lilly Lashes and House of Lashes. Sooo that being said, I am a proud new owner of a pair of Lilly Lashes in the style Mykonos, and a pair of House of Lashes in the style Iconic! I was going to pick up a few Violet Voss pairs as well, but I still have three pairs that are still in pretty good shape. So technically I do have self control when it comes to eyelashes. If I didn’t have any self control I would have bought the whole lash display.

Strange Ways

This was actually the first booth I stopped at, and I’m so glad I did! They had some awesome iron-on patches, some pins (including two Shea Couleè exclusives), buttons, and stickers! I wasn’t originally going to get any patches, but then I looked down at the denim jacket I had with me and instantly changed my mind. I definitely wanted something pink to throw on the jacket, and the fact that the “duh” patch was both pink and sassy, was enough of a selling point for me. I also went with the NYC patch because that’s where the event was, and it’s my home-city! The two buttons say, “I don’t care” and “I’m perfect”. Because who doesn’t love some extra sass and a confidence boost with their buttons? Then, because I spent $20, I got the brands pin and sticker for free! Check out all of their stuff riiiiiiiiiiiiight HERE!

Madame Whiskers

I am such a sucker for earrings, and especially ones that are not your typical gold or silver hoops. Madame Whiskers had so many original pieces of jewelry, varying from huge dangly ones covered in glitter, to unconventional studs. Shocker, I went with something pink again; and something that describes my mood about 85% of the time. I was so stuck between these hearts and rose gold glitter coffins, so I will definitely be ordering from them soon. You can find their Etsy shop HERE. The companies Socials are on the business card below!

DragCon Booth

I was so happy to find out that event merchandise wasn’t super overpriced. Yes, $25 for a t-shirt was a little up there, but $2 buttons and $10 keychains, among other reasonable priced items made up the majority of the booth. There was a $200 bomber jacket and oh my goodness I was so ready to sell a kidney in order to own it. And I will say, the DragCon T-shirt might have been $25, but it’s not your typical cheap scratchy cotton blend. It’s super soft and light!

Farrah Moan

So, as most of the queen’s booths operated, there were two separate lines. One to purchase merchandise, and one for the meet and greet. In order to meet a queen, you had to purchase a piece of their merchandise. From what I could gather, this was a pretty common practice among the show. It was a little frustrating having to wait in two separate lines, I feel like there definitely could have been an easier way to move the process along. Even though I bought a Farrah tank top, by the time I got there she was already done taking pictures, which was also frustrating. Don’t get me wrong, the girl’s gotta eat and take breaks, she’s a person not a machine. I’m not angry that she took a break, I just feel like there should have been a better way of communicating that information, rather than waiting until you got to the front of the line to tell you that you couldn’t actually meet Farrah until tomorrow. The ticket I got worked for the next day as well, so again, I was more agitated that I waited in a crazy long line when I could have been doing something else. BUT I actually ran into Farrah outside the show while I was walking to the Port Authority. She apologized but said she didn’t have time to take a photo, again- TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE. She was really sweet and looked gorgeous, as expected.

Wrapping it up and Headin’ Home!

A few other miscellaneous adventures included the red carpet photo-sesh; totally necessary. We also stopped at the VH1 booth for a quick photoshoot and metallic bag!

Day one was a huge success! I got most of my shopping done, as well as anything that required a crazy long line. I was aiming to do primarily shopping and waiting around on day one, so I could relax a little more on day 2 and really enjoy the show, rather than wandering around getting stuck in lines,

Day Two will be up very shortly! Let me know who your favorite queen is, and who you hope to see on all stars this season!

Love and lashes,

Katy

RuPaul’s DragCon Day One- Definitely What Unicorns Dream Of Hello lovelies! Do I have some things to share! For those of you who may not be familiar, RuPaul is an