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#macedonian fashion
sartorialadventure · 1 year
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professorpski · 2 years
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Piecework, Fall 2022
Piecework magazine offers both historical articles on needlework and instructions with patterns for some of items featured. I must say I always feel the ones with patterns are the best although I have not yet made any of them.
For the instructions, we have the tatted doilies are drawn from an 1889 called Weldon’s Practical Tatting and Katrina King suggests more modern uses like earrings for the smallest motifs and wedding veil for larger ones. The long cream kilt stockings, from ones worn by men who wore breeches instead of long pants, are adaptations from 18th Century Cape Breton Island examples. Barbara Kelly-Landry offers full instructions and she and Annamarie Hatcher recount the history of such stockings and how men’s calves used to be an object of interest for their shape. Yes, women ogled men’s calves. Maybe that it why it is my favorite pattern in this issue. ;-) The other pattern is for the colorwork sleeves you see here which were a separate part of traditional Macedonian clothing according to Ali Giles-Damjanovska in one of two articles on that tradition. Plus an early American sampler pattern is included.
Then, there are historical articles with information and inspiration but without patterns. So there is one on bobbin lace from Puerto Rico by Diana P. Martinez Rodriguez from which this christening gown image is taken. I thought it was crochet at first glance which may explain the popularity of crochet trim in the late 19th and early 20th century: its ability to mimic lace. There are more articles including one on patchwork quilts from India, on early European couching stitch embroidery, and a dress created by someone in a mental asylum, and no, I am not making that last one up.
You can find it at your local bookstore or newsstand or online here: https://pieceworkmagazine.com/subscription/
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folkfashion · 1 year
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Macedonian girls, North Macedonia, by Toni Perec
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A significant part of Cleopatra VII Philopator’s enduring reputation is as one of history’s most famous femme fatales, renowned for her beauty and wit which attracted not one, but two of the Roman Republic’s most powerful men.
Whether or not this popular characterization of Cleopatra is historically accurate, her reputation has led many to wonder whether she had any particular beauty secrets that she used to ensure Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.
The historical record does provide some clues as to how the Ptolemaic dynasty’s most famous ruler presented herself, from hairstyles to clothing, and even makeup.
Although we cannot be entirely certain how she presented herself, there are enough historical details to piece together a reasonable picture of how Cleopatra might have presented herself.
Was Cleopatra really a beauty?
As the old adage goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
As far as the ancient sources are concerned, the question of Cleopatra’s beauty raised mixed responses, with some ascribing an irresistible physical appearance to her and others attributing her allure more to her intellect and charm.
For example, Cassius Dio (164 to c. 235 AD), an ancient Greek historian, described Cleopatra as “a woman of surpassing beauty.”
During the first meeting between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, Cassius Dio wrote:
"Caesar, upon seeing her and hearing her speak a few words, was so completely captivated that the Roman general acquiesced immediately to Cleopatra’s requests."
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Plutarch (c.46 to c.119 AD) also briefly commented on the Ptolemaic queen’s appearance in his Life of Mark Anthony.
Contrary to Cassius Dio, Plutarch did not reckon Cleopatra’s beauty to be particularly noteworthy but instead praised her intelligence and character.
“Her beauty, so we are told, was not itself outstanding; it did not immediately strike those who saw her; yet being with her had an inescapable hold; when talking with her, she was persuasive, and the character which surrounded her whole manner in company had a force to it,” wrote the Greek historian and philosopher.
Hair and makeup
In the few surviving marble busts of Cleopatra, she is depicted wearing her hair tied at the back in a bun.
Historians like Paul Edmund Stanwick refer to this as a “melon hairstyle.”
Coinage depicting the queen shows her wearing the same hairstyle.
Depictions of Cleopatra with this hairstyle also show her wearing a diadem, a symbol of royal power adopted by many Hellenistic rulers who succeeded Alexander the Great as the masters of the divided fragments of his empire.
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Professor Diana Kleiner of Yale University has identified two more hairstyles worn by Cleopatra.
One of these hairstyles emulated those worn by Macedonian queens, which is unsurprising given Cleopatra’s lineage.
To achieve this style, the hair was carefully divided into individual curls, which were typically swept away from the face and elegantly gathered into a bun positioned at the back.
According to Professor Keline, it may have been worn during travel.
The other hairstyle was “the usual Egyptian wigged headdress that had its origins in Pharaonic times.”
In this case, the main point of attention would have been the headdress rather than the hair itself, with a rearing cobra made of precious metal proudly displayed.
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Professor Kleiner explains that “Cleopatra appears to have worn different coiffures in different circumstances, playing to her audience, so to speak, in life and in art.”
It would have been important for her to present herself in the Hellenistic fashion to the Greek elites who held the most senior positions in Ptolemaic Egypt, but also in traditional Egyptian fashions for her ruler to appear legitimate to a native Egyptian audience.
Regarding the Ptolemaic queen’s makeup choices, she would darken her eyebrows and enhance her eyeliner using black kohl, creating an elongated look.
The application of deep blue eyeshadow extended gracefully up to her brows, further accentuating her eyes.
Additionally, Cleopatra embraced the fashionable trend of adorning her hands with intricate henna patterns, a popular practice during that era in Alexandria.
Clothing
Cleopatra wore a variety of Greek, Egyptian, and Roman outfits intended to accentuate her beauty.
The selection of these styles would have been dependent on the contexts in which the queen appeared, as it was important for her to present herself accordingly to her friends, foes and subjects.
One of the styles she wore combined Greek and Egyptian aesthetic sensibilities and is seen depicted on sculptures of other Ptolemaic queens.
This style consisted of a sheer dress, likely of a semi-transparent material, which left the bare breasts exposed in a manner popular amongst native Egyptian women.
The depictions of other Ptolemaic queens wearing this style are consistent with the writings of the Roman poet Lucan, who claimed that she wore a transparent dress that exposed her breasts, likely made of Chinese silk.
Lucan also described the jewelry she wore, writing that “her baleful beauty inordinately painted, covered with Red Sea pearls, a fortune in her hair and around her neck, weighed down with jewelry.”
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NOTE:
Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator (70/69 BC – 10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC and its last active ruler.
A member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was a descendant of its founder, Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek general and companion of Alexander the Great.
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clove-pinks · 2 years
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In early 1812, months before the outbreak of war, two captains of frigates from rival navies met in Norfolk. One was Stephen Decatur, who held the unofficial rank of commodore in the United States Navy and who was in command of USS United States. With him was the British John Surman Carden, in command of the crack new 38-gun frigate HMS Macedonian. The two socialised frequently during Carden’s stay in Norfolk, and Carden often dined with Decatur and his wife. The two officers took a liking to each other, bonding primarily through discussion of their beloved frigates. While United States was by far the slowest of the three heavy frigates with the nickname ‘Old Wagon’, she was still a prestigious command as one of the most powerful frigates in the world and currently carrying a slightly heavier armament than her sisters. Macedonian was considered an exceptionally fast frigate, and her first lieutenant, David Hope, considered her to be one of the best-trained frigates in gunnery in the world. It was reported that during one of Carden and Decatur's discussions they had joked about making a wager over a beaver hat on the outcome of a prospective contest between their two frigates.
— Nicholas James Kaizer, Revenge in the Name of Honour: The Royal Navy’s Quest for Vengeance in the Single Ship Actions of the War of 1812
Engagement between the ‘United States’ and the ‘Macedonian’ (details) by Thomas Birch, 1813. (Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)
When Carden and Decatur met again, 500 miles south of the Azores, it was an American victory, with the heavier armament of United States making the difference. Her longer, 24-pound shot proved decisive, inflicting much more damage than Macedonian’s 18-pound shot. At closer range, the Americans’ twenty-four 42-pound carronades devastated Macedonian, who carried only fourteen 32-pounders. Carden’s ship was nearly dismasted and became unmanageable, with great loss of life. Over 100 dead, dying, and wounded men were strewn near her wrecked rigging and canvas. 
When Carden surrendered at last, some of his men cried and others were prepared to fight the American prize crew (the British sailors had also broken into the spirit stores, adding to the chaos). Nonetheless:
Decatur and Carden greeted each other as friends. The American refused to accept Carden’s sword and praised his gallantry, but he could tell that Carden was in a deplorably melancholic state. Carden admitted that he was devastated at losing his ship, believing that he was the first British captain to do so. Decatur’s attempts to console him by informing him that Dacres [of HMS Guerriere] had that unfortunate distinction only partially mollified Carden. He had still lost a ship in one-on-one combat, and Macedonian became the first and only British frigate to be brought into an American port as a prize. 
— Nicholas James Kaizer, Revenge in the Name of Honour: The Royal Navy’s Quest for Vengeance in the Single Ship Actions of the War of 1812
No word from Kaizer if the bet for a beaver hat was ever called in by Stephen Decatur. For those unfamiliar with the term, it refers to a hat made from highly processed beaver fur that has been felted, formed, and brushed to a silken sheen, like the top hat worn by this gentleman in an 1812 fashion plate (Flickr):
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Beaver hats were also waterproof, and naval cocked hats were made out of the same material.
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were there any specific styles/cultures you took inspiration from when designing the telchin clothing styles?
Honestly the tricky answer is: a lot-
Initially, it was very much just like “okay does this shape and colour palette and design look cool? Sick” and just throwing thoughts at a wall.
When it came to defining those broader shapes/colours and adding things like specific cuts, details, patterns, etc, I sort of worked backwards to grab inspirations.
Ulysses initial/main outfit is honestly quite Medieval, European (but notably Norse/Scandinavian in its cut/style), albeit with a ridiculously plunging neckline for some reason lol-
(it was even a bit early on that every time one of the cast drew Ulysses, we’d make his neckline just a little bit sluttier)
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HOWEVER the details on the collar and sleeves are directly lifted from ancient Greco-Roman designs, specifically influenced by the “Greek Key” or “Greek Meander” pattern which can be seen in pottery, jewellery and architecture all over the ancient Mediterranean!
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Specific to Ulysses, his clothing has currently reached a fairly fairytale-esque “fantasy” stage, drawing a lot of early Renaissance and pirate-style influences with his little poet-shirt and sash, since he’s been on the Overworld so much, and is slowly growing to become a part of that culture and world, and I really wanted to show that in his clothing changes.
Honestly, a lot of the broader telchin clothing when I have sketched it up is very Greco-Roman, at least in the way I tend to depict it (that is my field of expertise, given my degree haha) but there’s honestly a lot of broader Mediterranean ties in as well. The army and their armour is designed to be very Ancient Macedonian, and a lot of the more casual clothing skew very Ancient Egyptian.
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Canonically the Telchin clothing style also definitely develops rapidly over the course of the war with the drowned, mostly for practicality sake more than fashion (loose flowing fabrics aren’t doing anyone much good escaping the undead), leading to an almost 1950s/60s American aesthetic? Of course still mingled with the Greco-Roman patterns. Especially in the way the scientists are presented in lore/my art, they always had a very retro-60’s almost sci-fi scientist aesthetic. If I was to give it a proper-sounding name I think “Neo-Classical Americana” would be more or less it, potentially lmao-
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(You can even sort of see similar shapes and patterns in that first reference image to Ulysses eventual design!)
There was of course always a flair of Victorian-Mad-Scientist too, because I have a bit of a brand and I can’t help myself. And given the blurring of science, alchemy and magic in Fable I think it definitely fits.
It’s a shame Tumblr only lets me upload 10 images per post on mobile because I have A BUNCH of reference images for all of these stages of the Ulysses/broader telchin clothing design lol, but sadly I can’t include them here :(
But I hope this was somewhat useful/interesting!! I’ve had so much fun coming up with this kind of stuff over the course of Fable s3 for the telchin and I’m very grateful to Ocie and Metta for kind of just letting me go ham on a bunch of aspects like this lol-
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octuscle · 1 year
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Alexander Ristor was perfect. The perfect body, the perfect skin, the perfect hair, he was simply flawless. And thanks to his father's fortune, he had the perfect life, too. Although he had never worked or studied, through generous donations he had reasonably presentable high school and college degrees. And his family's connections had also been a catalyst for his career as an influencer. Although he did nothing but travel the world First Class, do shopping, and work out and take care of his body, by the time he was 25 he already had thousands of followers. And while from the beginning his mother had had to secretly pay for hotels and restaurants so that Alexander felt he was getting everything for free as a social media star, by now many doors actually opened by themselves if he just approached them.
Alexander surfed through Instagram, bored. He was starting to get bored in Vienna. He was on a European tour, it was spring, and it was too cold for him in Austria. Going a little more south, working on his tan, now that would be cool. But all the destinations that came to mind when he looked at Google Maps seemed hackneyed. Croatia, Montenegro, Albania. All water under the bridge. All the C-class celebrities had already been there. But what was this northern Macedonia? Skopje? Almost all the posts on Instagram were from locals. Looked interesting enough. In fact, there was also a Hilton. Looked pretty old-fashioned. But he had an advertising contract with them, so he could stay there for two nights. Maybe he could find something better locally. Or he could still travel on to Kotor on the Mediterranean if he didn't like it in Skopje. A few hours later, his two big RIMOWA suitcases were packed and a limousine took him directly to the first class terminal of the Vienna airport.
Saturday
The Hilton was really not to his liking… A proper chain hotel. Not a boutique hotel secret tip that his followers loved him for. But for a few selfies at the bar, in the room and in the lobby, it would be enough for him to get out of here without a bill. Only for his daily workouts did he need something else. The gym at the hotel was unacceptable. Since he had already failed to work out yesterday, he had the concierge recommend a gym nearby. And headed straight for it with his gym bag.
The gym was surprisingly good. A former school high school gym, where high tech and shabby chic met. Well, the audience was different than at home in New York, but he would look all the more radiant on his contributions. So he stood at the counter and said he'd like to work out for the next few days. The employee at the counter, whose name tag said his name was Atanas, obviously didn't know him. Sure, that was a problem if you were a social media pioneer in the province… Atanas realized that he had to make a special effort with the customer. Only, unfortunately, he spoke very broken English. But at least he had understood that the handsome man in front of him was called Aleksandar. He didn't understand the last name… But it sounded something like Ristovski, the name of the captain of the national team. So he entered that. Date of birth? He could only guess… But he guessed well and made Alexander just about half a year older. And for the address Atanas simply entered the address of his mother's guesthouse, nobody would check that. Especially not the customer in front of him, who looked incredulously at the text written in Macedonian on the display and then signed on the input field without checking anything. Atanas took another photo of the customer, saved the entry in the customer file and coded the wristband that could be used to open doors and lockers in the studio.
He had no idea what the employee at the counter wanted from him. But somehow it all worked out and after only fifteen minutes Alexander had received a very cool looking wristband and quickly understood that it worked for checking in and opening the doors. With hands and feet, communication worked even in the middle of nowhere… After changing clothes and styling his hair, Alexander checked his accounts again. He was now 4:15 pm. So he could work out, take a few pictures while he was at it, edit them back at the hotel, change, and then hit the nightlife. But now let's get to the weights.
After three hours of training Alexander was exhausted. Shit, he had totally forgotten the time. But the workout had been awesome. It had been a long time since he had had so much fun pushing his body to the limits. So there was just a selfie of him with sweaty hair and sweaty T-shirt. And a succinct caption, "Best workout ever," along with the name of the gym. Strange, why did he have a three-day beard…?
Sunday
The night had been fun, there was no other way to put it. The afterlife of Skopje could not be compared to that of Vienna. As usual, his posts had had hundreds of likes after a very short time. And there had been a lot of likes from locals as well. He must have collected some new followers tonight. He was a little surprised about some comments about his new style. Okay, he didn't shave every day since he was here. And when you party hard, your hair doesn't always sit perfectly either. But new style…? He thought it was over the top.
Before he wanted to look at the city a little, Alexander wanted to work out a little in any case. So he went directly unshowered with only once combed hair to breakfast. Around him sat many festively dressed people. Probably locals who went to Sunday brunch. Because of his careless dress and perhaps also because of the smell his sports bag gave off, Alexander received one or two reprimanding looks. All weaklings, he thought, as he ate his bowl of scrambled eggs and the three chicken breasts for breakfast.
Atanas and Alexander greeted each other with a ghetto fist. The prepared protein shake was already waiting. Alexander appreciated how quickly his workout routine was addressed here. And thank God he could exchange a few words of Macedonian with the staff and the other guys on the training floor. And he understood a little Albanian, at least. His grandmother had sometimes sung him a few folk songs she knew from her North Macedonian mother, so a little had stuck.
Communication with Atanas was still complicated, however. He probably wanted to say something to him when Alexander left the studio at 5:00 p.m. after a hard workout, sauna and a shower. And after some time he understood that Atanas invited him to move out of the expensive and uncool Hilton and move into his mother's guesthouse. Great idea, that would certainly go down better in his stories than pictures from an interchangeable hotel bar. Nevertheless, Alexander spent the evening at the hotel. After all, he owed the hotel a few posts. And he didn't feel like going out clubbing after the day was over.
Monday
He did not have to shave today… The beard had a good seven-day length and still looked reasonably well-groomed. But he could go to the barber again, the last haircut should be a month and a half ago. So it had to be enough to tame the hair back with plenty of gel. He stuffed his clothes into his suitcases and went for a quick breakfast before checking out. After devouring his mountain of scrambled eggs, the waiter pointed out to him to please not wear a tank top to breakfast next time. There won't be a next time, Alex replied in his broken Macedonian and wiped off the rest of the scrambled eggs with his forearms. The front desk employee also smiled somewhat painedly when he pointed out his partnership with Hilton while paying the bill. The lady said they were tasked with telling Alex that the quality of his posts had fallen below the usual standard and they were considering discontinuing the partnership. Normally, Alex would have raved now, but he didn't care about the Hilton at all. Nevertheless, still posted a selfie with him and the reception team on Instagram. And immediately came the reactions:
"When did you stop shaving your armpits, Alexander?" "Bro, you're working out more than usual!" "Sun's out, guns out"
And many posts were in Macedonian and Albanian, which is also where most of the likes came from.
Atanas and Alex went to the barber together after the training. This was also a cool experience, making a post from this was much funnier than from drinking cocktails at the hotel bar. And the pictures he posted online of Atanas and himself went down especially well with his followers from the Balkans. With their trimmed full beards and shaved bald heads, the two looked almost like siblings.
When they had heaved Alex's luggage up the stairs to the guesthouse and Atanas introduced Alex to his mother, Alex silently cursed his mother. While she had grown up bilingual in Albanian and English, they spoke almost no Albanian at home. Now he would have needed more than the smattering he had learned from his Tirana-born grandmother. But at least his Macedonian was already quite passable, so that a simple conversation was already quite possible. His room in the guesthouse was great. Actually a separate apartment with a small kitchen and a balcony under the roof. Wonderful view over the city. And very comfortably furnished. He could leave his dirty laundry directly with Atanas' mother. And before they moved around the houses, Atanas lent Alex some of his things. The two spent the evening with some friends. Hardly anyone spoke English, but as training for his language skills this was perfect. And in fact, hardly anyone thought that the muscular guy in the soccer jersey and track pants could be American.
Tuesday
Part of the deal with Atanas' mother was that in the morning after breakfast, before he went to training with Atanas, he would collect the garbage in the rooms of the guesthouse and take everything to the dumpster around the corner. Easy money, Alex thought to himself… And the rest of his lodging he worked off by picking up guests (especially those from abroad) from the airport or train station and bringing them to the guesthouse. In the meantime he got along quite well with the old Skoda in the city traffic of Skopje. No one was arriving or departing today, so Atanas and Alex were able to work out together at the gym before Atanas' shift. And Alex spent the afternoon working on the guesthouse's social media presence. He was so not interested in the comments on his own account right now.
Wednesday
By now Aleksandar had been in his mother's country for three months. He couldn't understand why he had waited so long to come here. It was good that he had been so well received by Atanas and his family, it was enormous luck. His mother was also overjoyed with the situation. In the morning, when he left for the wholesale market at the crack of dawn, he always called home to wish his mother in New York a good night. It was a young tradition, but one he enjoyed. And sometimes he would have a few words with his father, who still viewed his activities with some suspicion. But that he made his mother happy, made his father happy too.
After carrying the fresh groceries to the cellar, Aleksandar usually went straight to work out. He enjoyed it when the gym was still empty. Besides, he always had to spend more time in the afternoons with Atanas' and his online supplement business. As his own successes as a heavyweight bodybuilder grew, so did the demand for his own products. And today he also had to go shopping himself. After hardly anything of his old clothes fit anymore, Atanas' sister had sold everything at the weekly market. Mila had great talent in such things and had made a good profit. And with that Aleksandar went shopping. He didn't need much. During the day, in the summer, an undershirt and a pair of training pants were enough. For the evenings, or when he had to work at the guesthouse, he bought a few pairs of jeans and some black and white shirts. The picture of him doing a double biceps pose with a bursting new shirt led to enthusiastic reactions from many of his new followers. And the salesman who took the picture of him immediately posted a selfie of himself and Aleksandar afterward.
Thursday
Today Aleksandar combined his morning visit to the market with a visit to the barber. He wanted to look his best before the weekend. And he enjoyed the visits here very much. For one thing, he learned plenty of news. For another, he liked it when his full beard was trimmed razor-sharp, the sides of his angular skull gleamed as if polished, and the barely-a-millimeter-long hair on top of his head shone black. He would love to add a few tattoos to the picture, but his mother would kill him for that… And if not her, Atanas' mother would take over that task.
Atanas and Aleksandar worked out together today after Atanas' shift ended. It was good because they were both tough critics and knew how to motivate each other excellently. And it was good because they could both shower together afterwards. Jerking each other's soapy dicks was the highlight of the workout.
Friday
Actually, Aco (Aleksandar only called him his grandmother when she was angry) wasn't really religious. But with three Muslim grandparents, the imprint had been big. And his parents both wanted him to grow up as a devout Muslim. And so, at least on Fridays, it was natural to answer the muezzin's call and say the sunrise prayer. And for the evening prayer, he and Atanas would also go to the mosque. But otherwise, Aco had to spend every free minute on training today as well, besides his work at the guesthouse and on their online trade. Sunday was his first appearance in the heavyweight class. And for that, it wasn't enough to eat like a barn-burner. He had to convert the calories, too.
In the gym, he was something of a local hero. Sure, he was exotic because he was born in the United States. But he had his roots here, and he and his fans were proud of that. But he had also had to work hard for success. Sure he had been in good shape when his parents sent him here with a little capital to start. Sure he had received a lot of support from Atanas and his family. But both his body and his business were essentially his earnings. For that he got up every morning at 04:00 o'clock, for that he went to bed every evening at 21:00 o'clock, for that he renounced alcohol. But for it he brought also with his 1,75 m proud 120 kilograms on the balance. The only thing he had not worked for was his cock. These 25 cm were a gift from his fathers. And for that he and Atanas thanked Allah!
Saturday
Actually silly that he had to sneak out of Atanas' room in the morning. The two of them were more than grown up. But even if it was an open secret that they were a couple, it was not really allowed to become public. That's where both their families were just stuffy. The guesthouse was full today. Many guests were there also because they hoped to take a photo with the most promising candidate for the national amateur championship. And Aco fulfills this wish for every guest. That's why today, for once, he was only allowed to work in a tank top and flex his muscles. Secretly, he regretted that tomorrow no one would be able to enjoy the fur on his chest and arms. He would miss the bushy hair in his armpits. And Atanas probably even more, if he could no longer press his face into the cave stinking of fresh sweat after the training. But tomorrow morning it all had to come off, tomorrow nothing could distract from the tight skin over his muscle mountains. And thanks to his genes, the hair would soon grow back.
Sunday
He had been working towards this moment for over six months. Worked out until he was exhausted, ate until he was pissed off. He had slept in extra today. Pumped up all the important muscle groups one last time. Atanas had carefully shaved every hair on his body. There was nothing left below the beard. And now Atanas was oiling him just as carefully. And as with shaving, he was especially careful in the places to which Aco's cock was particularly sensitive. You idiot, Aco said more in jest. Should the jury choose me for my biceps or for my boner. Grinning, Atanas returned that both would be more than impressive.
Just now, at the accreditation of the contestants, Aco had had to identify himself. Thanks to his mother, he had an Albanian passport; thanks to his birth, he had a U.S. passport. All passports showed his proud name Aleksandar Ristovski, all showed his real birthday but on only one passport were all the data, including his address, exactly as Atanas had recorded them a week ago: on the passport of his father's homeland, on the one from northern Macedonia. And tonight he would leave the stage as the winner for this country.
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Many thanks to @massivemusxcle and @homme-parfait! You guys were a great inspiration !
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brideofelysium · 1 month
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Drabblecember 2022(!) Day 5: Date Night
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Summary: Dianthus is about to head out on a date with King Theseus! Unfortunately for her... he dedicated to wear his golden mask out on it.
Notes: As the title implies, I originally wrote this for drabblecember way back in 2022 😭 yesterday I decided to take another look at it and I kept giggling at what I had already written, so I decided to go ahead and finish what I had 💖 perhaps at some point I'll come back and write about their actual date, but until then... well, here you are!
~ 595 words. No TWs for this one! But you do learn why Theseus can get away with so much with Dia 💖
“Lady Dianthus! Are you prepared for our most romantic engagement on this day or night?”
“Of course I am! And I’m very happy to see you, my sweet King Theseus. It is simply that…”
Dianthus looked intensely at her date. Theseus was dressed regally, his usual short chiton replaced with a longer, heavier cloth, decorated with a golden trim. He was handsome in his fancier garbs, his laurel of golden bay leaves being a shimmering reminder of why even in the afterlife he was still referred to as a king. There was an issue, however: He had that damned mask on. Crafted by Daedalus himself, it was made to match the king’s beloved Macedonian Tau Lambda, the world’s first (and likely only) motorized chariot. The mask, made of pure, shining gold, only covered about half of Theseus’ face. As an ingenious aspect of its design, it left the king’s vibrant smile exposed to all who would witness it. There were many things about Theseus’ gaudy fashion choices that Dianthus had begun to adore… such as his love for gemstones and over-elaborate embroidery. But she could not love that  mask. It was a mockery of all things good and noble, a horrific affront on all that is beautiful and true. No shade could have crafted that thing with good intentions in his heart, besides; she was quite certain Daedalus made it in jest, not expecting anyone to actually wear the thing. But Theseus loved it just as much as he loved the chariot itself— the dark callings of which often lured him from his bedroom in the middle of the night. How many times now had Dianthus found him polishing that golden-faced chariot at the very crack of dawn? She cursed Zagreus for giving it to him in the first place. With Dianthus lost in thought, Theseus took it upon himself to interpret her silence: “Ah, my lady… you must be rendered speechless by my handsome visage! A truly inevitable happenstance, I assure you. Go on, then, do not be shy! You may bask in my splendor for as long as you’d like!” “...Right. Thank you, Theseus.” Dianthus sighed in response.  “Hmm~! Of course, I do not wish for you to merely bask, my lady! I must admit to you that I am quite thrilled about our date! Theseus reached forward to grasp her hands within his own, his thumb brushing gently over the dark ochre of her skin. It was difficult to tell with his mask, but something about his face grew softer, his smile, while still vibrant, less intense. “I am alway happy to spend time with you, no matter what the circumstances may be! But it has been some time since our last proper date, has it not…?”  Within seconds he returned to his usual excitement. He laughed warmly, his voice, as always, honeyed with love. “My dearest Lady Dianthus! I shall do all in my power to ensure that this date is the greatest, most romantic, and most jovial you’ve ever embarked upon!!” “...Oh!” Dianthus felt dizzy— she was complaining about something a minute ago… what was it? She couldn’t remember. “I mean… you don’t have to do all that for me, Theseus!” “And yet, I shall! Come, my lady—  let us not dally any longer!!” Theseus lifted Dianthus into his arms, more than content to simply carry her to their destination (not that she minded one bit). Perhaps one day she would remember to mention her distaste for that mask… but for now, the topic was nothing more than an afterthought.  
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jeannereames · 3 months
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Do you think we lost useful / important information along with the account / biography Ptolemy Soter wrote of Alexander? Could you talk a bit about this book?
If I recall correctly (and I can be very wrong in this) Arrian used Ptolemy’s book as one of his main primary sources. Did any bits of it survive that are useful to modern historians?
@akriticsongs, first, yes, Arrian used Ptolemy, along with Arisobulos, as his two chief sources for his own history. These weren’t all he used, and he certainly editorialized on them, giving his own opinions throughout. We shouldn’t take his history as a “cut-and-paste” version of theirs. That makes getting back to theirs a bit of a struggle.
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One reason Arrian gives for using Ptolemy is that he was a king, and it wouldn’t do for a king to lie.
That assessment may make modern historians crack up laughing—as it should. But we must also recognize that Arrian isn’t simply being obtuse; his history was written to flatter his patron—the Emperor Hadrian. A king. Not just a king, but a king with a noted fondness for Greek culture and Greek philosophy—the first emperor to wear a beard after Greek fashion.
Was Arrian being serious about his claim? Well…probably not, although he also wasn’t playing the same sort of inside-out “I’m going to compliment you in order to insult you” games Virgil played with Augustus in his The Aeneid. Nonetheless, and whatever he says, I doubt he took Ptolemy’s history entirely uncritically.
I am not an expert on Arrian. There have been a couple of really good assessments of Arrian as an historian published recently: V. Liotsakis’s Alexander the Great in Arrian’s Anabasis (2019) and D. W. Leon’s Arrian the Historian: Writing the Greek Past in the Roman Empire (2021). The links go to their Bryn Mawr reviews. The former is more inclined to analysis of passages while the latter casta a wider net to place Arrian in context as a historian. I like both, as they do different things.
Getting back to Ptolemy’s original, Tim Howe speculated that Ptolemy was influenced by Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern tradition in the book we coedited, Macedonian Legacies (2009), “Alexander in India: Ptolemy as Near Eastern Historiographer.” And more recently, he edited an entire collection, Ptolemy I Soter: a Self-Made Man (ed., Tim Howe, 2018).
It’s too bad we don’t still have Ptolemy’s original history, for two reasons. It would be the only surviving contemporary account, and it could illustrate how later Roman-era historians parsed and refitted earlier histories to their own takes.
My personal first choice of Hellenistic-era writings I’d like to see recovered would be Marsyas’s works on ancient Macedonia (and Alexander). But after that would be Ptolemy’s history. Both would provide us with pre-Roman views of Macedon and Alexander. We don’t have that. The first Macedonian writing about Alexander (et al.) that survives (Strategemata) is late imperial military historian Polyaenus, who wrote a little after Arrian (during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, not Hadrian). There are recent debates as to whether he’s really Macedonian, but even if he was, c. 500 years separated him from his country’s most famous son. And if he calls himself a Macedonian, he was born and raised in Bithynia, and later lived in Rome, so how “Macedonian” he was would be a good question to ask. Like a lot of writers of or influenced by the Second Sophistic, he engaged in a fair bit of Hellenic beautification.
So the upshot is: yes, having Ptolemy’s history would be extremely useful, but even if we did, it would bring a different freight to problems to navigate. It might, however, help us to better assess the later Roman-era historians we do have.
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wishesofeternity · 8 months
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“...Ancient authors, while generally hostile to Olympias, are not uniformly so. Plutarch, for instance, although he provides an extremely negative picture of Olympias in his life of Alexander (e.g., 2.9, 9.5, 10.1, 4, 68.5), offers a different and much more positive picture of her in the Moralia (141b-c, 243d, 799e). Even Justin, notorious for his implausible account of Olympias' supposed outrageous behavior after the death of Philip (9.7.10-14), gives Olympias a long and heroic death scene (14.6.6- 13). Diodorus, although generally critical of Olympias, also grants her a noble death (19.51.5). Indeed, female bravery, especially in the face of death, and often characterized as man-like, is admired by many ancient authors.
Whereas the current historiographical trend in scholarship about the reign of Alexander disdains biography and resists speculation about the motivation of the great conqueror, most of those who deal with Olympias confidently assign motives to her actions, motives which are usually negative and almost always personal rather than political. The ancient sources, biased or not, are not always the basis for this assignment of motivation. Indeed, unpleasant motivation attributed to Olympias, while similar in ancient sources and modern scholarship, is not identical. Ancient sources tend to depict Olympias as motivated primarily by her difficult personality (they often imply that she liked to make trouble for trouble's sake) and by her natural nastiness, whereas modern scholarship tends to stress vengeance and something very close to madness, despite the fact that no ancient source characterizes Olympias' actions as mad and that very little stress is put on vengeance as her motivation. The actions of male contemporaries of Olympias, however brutal, are narrated in neutral fashion and their motivation is not usually perused, although apparently it is assumed to be rational if ruthless, whereas the actions of Olympias are described with a host of negative adjectives and adverbs and are assumed (although rarely argued) to be emotionally motivated.
Moreover, perhaps because of this unwarranted confidence in ascribing motivation to Olympias, modern scholarship sometimes supplements the already subjective judgments of antiquity. Scenarios and assumptions about Olympias have emerged that have little or no foundation in the ancient evidence. Many, for instance, assume that Olympias and her daughter Cleopatra did not get on and base their explanations for various political events on that assumption, yet no ancient source offers a shred of proof for this assumption. In fact, several sources describe mother and daughter as acting in concert for shared political goals and several more imply further concerted action. Similarly, many modern authorities assert that Olympias was universally unpopular in Macedonia after she brought about the deaths of Philip Arrhidaeus and his wife Adea Eurydice, whereas the narratives of Diodorus and Justin provide a more complex and nuanced picture in which Olympias emerges as a controversial figure, loathed by some and loyally supported by others.
This unfortunate state of scholarly affairs has had several consequences, none of them good. If we assume that scholars owe their subjects, groups or individuals, mass phenomena or personalities, some sort of fairness and balanced judgment, then clearly Olympias has not received it. Moreover, because of our unbalanced reading of this particular historical figure, our interpretation of Macedonian political events has been distorted. Distortion is especially a problem with the treatment of the period after the death of Alexander, and with the analysis of the reasons for the collapse of the dynasty which had ruled Macedonia from its historical beginnings. Problems with the treatment of Olympias' career have also affected our understanding of the most central of Macedonian institutions, the monarchy, and particularly the relationship of female members of the royal family to that institution.
Those who have recognized the hostile treatment of Olympias in the sources have attributed it, following Tarn, to propaganda created by Cassander to justify his elimination of her. While Cassander's efforts did doubtless play a part in the attitude of some of the surviving sources, it would be wrong to assume that he was the sole source of the hostility against Olympias.
The image of Olympias created by our sources results from the accumulation of many layers of prejudice. Greek unease with monarchy came partly from the role women played in succession politics; that Macedonian monarchy was polygamous only made for greater unease. A well-known but often carelessly read passage in Plutarch (Alex. 9.5) makes clear Greek distrust of Macedonian court politics: "The troubles in Philip's household produced many grounds for quarrels and differences because his marriages and love-affairs contaminated the basileia [kingdom or perhaps monarchy] with the customs of the women's quarters." (He follows this remark with an attack on Olympias' ill-nature to which we shall shortly turn.) It is a classic statement of Greek views about women and men and the association of the former with private life and the latter with public life: any mixing of the two worlds will lead to trouble. Hornblower has suggested that the emergence of Macedon as a great power and the consequent appearance for the first time of women like Olympias with political power in the Hellenic as opposed to the non-Hellenic world presented Greek historians with the problem of dealing with a new phenomenon, one they could not ignore.
Naturally, most Greeks disliked the role royal women played in Macedonian public life. In Athens, respectable women were, if possible, not even named in public, yet Athenian politicians refer to Olympias by name in the assembly, without even a patronymic (Hyp. Eux. 25; Aeschines 3.233). Shopping trips done for her sake (Aeschines 3.233) and acts of piety she performed (Hyp. Eux. 19) became matters of public discussion. She had a long public relationship with the Athenian assembly (Diod. 17.108.7, 18.65.1-7; Hyp. Eux. 25). Alexander sometimes liked to play the civilized Greek who did not indulge in backward Macedonian ways (e.g., Plut. Alex. 51.2). This pose may help to explain anecdotes about him and Olympias in which he takes the role of the conventional Greek male, reproving her for inappropriate behavior, and in one case implying that her actions were more typical of Epirus than Macedon (Plut. Alex. 39.12, 68.5; Diod. 18.49.4). All anecdotal material about the early life of Alexander should be treated with great distrust, but, true or not, if these anecdotes were actually generated by Alexander himself, they should be viewed in the context of his desire to be seen as Greek.
Much hostility is specific to Olympias herself: she is treated in a way that neither her daughter nor her rivals are. Some of this difference arises from the sources saying so much more about Olympias than about the others. Her career spanned three reigns and as the mother of Alexander the Great, she became a character in the vast body of anecdote his exploits generated. One wonders whether a lengthy Greek treatment of Cynnane, for instance, might not have demonstrated hostility to her aggressive militarism.
Clearly, though, some of the hostility of the sources to Olympias results from factors more essential than length or breadth of coverage. The sources object to her personality, as they interpret it. Consider the rest of the Plutarch passage just discussed: "the extremely difficult nature of Olympias, a jealous and indignant woman, exaggerated these difficulties because she provoked her son." Numerous anecdotes survive that have made her difficultness proverbial. Alexander jokes that she exacts a high price for his ten-month stay (Arr. 7.12.4). Her quarrels with Hephaestion and with Antipater remain vague, but the idea seems to be that she demonstrates her "difficultness” by involving herself in public affairs, often by unsuccessfully attempting to influence her son.
Since so many scholars have accepted the view of Olympias presented in these stories about her quarrels, it is important to note something at once simple and yet usually ignored: these stories do have a point of view and it is not that of citizens of governments with universal suffrage. The sources assume first that Olympias should not be active in public matters and therefore characterize such activity as interference. In fact we do not know that she was not acting within her role as king's mother; Hammond has suggested that she had a formal constitutional role during Alexander's reign. Even if we reject that suggestion, we might still conclude that her activity was well within Macedonian political patterns, how- ever much Antipater may not have liked it. They assume further that a woman who acts in such a fashion is difficult (xakeni), yet the great majority of modern scholars are unlikely to share such an assumption. Moreover, few scholars waste time wondering whether Alexander or Antipater or Attalus was "difficult"; we take it for granted that they were, that competitiveness and assertiveness were norms in the Macedonian court. Without realizing it, we have simply mirrored the cultural judgments of our source.”
A glance at the etymology of the word "virago" in Latin as well as in English will make my point clearer. In both languages, a virago is a person whose actions conform to cultural expectations of males ... So Olympias is a genuine virago, a woman who violated every expectation the Greeks had about women, but the antipathy her unconventionality inspired in the Greek world is a cultural assessment, not an eternal truth. Since all the surviving sources for the reign of Alexander date from Roman times and two of them were written in Latin, we should remember that Roman dislike of political women was also intense.
Not all the problems with hostility toward Olympias lie in the sources, nor does the nature of the sources explain why they have so frequently been read uncritically. We must recognize the fact that the image of the virago remains an extremely potent one in our own culture and it is very hard to give up a figure we so love to hate. The likes of the traditional figure of Olympias can be found virtually any night on television soap operas, wearing shoulder-pads, scheming, and making the plot go. In the past women so depicted were often royal-Eleanor of Aquitaine for instance - because royal women were often the only prominent women and certainly the only ones with a modicum of political power. What we have here is a kind of topos, which like many topoi continues to have powerful appeal. I shall refrain from considering exactly why we continue to be troubled by the association of women with power and why stereotypes associated with such women persist, but it is essential that we recognize and resist this fatal attraction.
- Elizabeth Carney, “Olympias and the Image of the Virago”
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sukimas · 11 months
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you know what i had a sketch lying around so i cleaned it up and painted it. fuck it we ball. adult wyvern nowi. now with more lore accuracy and less discomfort.
changes (and reasoning) under the cut:
adult: fucking obviously. but more to the point, makes more sense with her character as depicted 90% of the time, baby manaketes are overdone, and i wanted to maintain some elements of her original design without making it weird. wyvern: implemented this in a couple of ways (macedonian design elements) which i'll list later, but the change was implemented for Not Exploding Archanea Lore reasons. plus she grew up in wyvern valley. either imagine her ancestors took human form or she was lucky enough to escape the curse, your choice. headband: the tiara she's got normally is a thing usually worn by royal divine dragons, which she isn't. instead, i gave her a headband based on minerva's- i figure that it might be a common thing in macedon due to the fact that its prior residents wore them. big chunky boots: also a macedon thing. realistically, a fe1/fe3 enemy faction thing, but hey, it was fun. skirt and belts: based on nagi's design. as the divine dragons were the de facto leaders of the dragon tribes, one can assume they influenced the overall fashion choices of dragonkind. the color of the belts is based on minerva's headband again. cape shape changes: based on minerva's cape in SD. replacement of hearts with trefoils: they're meant to resemble a dragon's head. they also look less "kiddy" which this design sorely needs to be taken seriously. folded ribbons over the chest instead of scales: thought it looked cool. also it's kind of fucked up for a dragon to wear clothing made out of scales.
also, i made her hair flow out to the sides like mila's to be reminescent of wings.
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fatehbaz · 1 year
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"From a deep history perspective, Ottoman rule in Iraq — the land of ancient Babylonia — was a political oddity," writes Faisal Husain in Rivers of the Sultan: The Tigris and Euphrates In the Ottoman Empire. "In its millennia-long history, Iraq was never ruled from Istanbul before the sixteenth century… among the most distant imperial capitals to ever govern Babylonia for any considerable stretch of time were Persepolis and Antioch in the second half of the first millennium BC. But Achaemenid and Macedonian rule in Iraq pales into insignificance compared to what the Ottomans accomplished from the sixteenth century, ruling from a far more distant capital and for a far longer span."
Of central concern to the Ottomans were control and management of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. [...] Challenges posed by the environment are nothing new, though; earlier societies had their own environmental issues to resolve. For the Ottomans, the two major rivers of Iraq were essential for building a sustainable political order, which would benefit not only Istanbul and Iraq, but also other parts of their empire. Indeed, many empires have sought to conquer or spring from that region. In 1534, Sultan Suleyman (the Magnificent) seized Baghdad during his war with the Persian Safavids; thus began Iraq's long Ottoman history.
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"Before his departure from Baghdad in March 1535, Suleyman I personally ordered officials to do everything necessary to secure the river crossings," writes Husain. This directive included everything from building bridges to developing trade routes across Iraq and building infrastructure to support the use of the rivers. Traffic police kept the bridges secure and controlled foot and boat traffic while collecting tolls. 
The scale of the Ottoman project was enormous and, "following the Ottoman unification of the Tigris and Euphrates, the largest fortresses along the rivers — Aleppo, Diyarbakir, Mosul, Baghdad, and Basra — received considerable financial support from Istanbul to improve their communication infrastructure." [...]
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When building the river infrastructure, the Ottomans took into account the history of the region and local hydrologic traditions. According to Husain, "The Ottoman state fashioned itself as the guardians of the traditional wisdom of society — tried and true laws, values, and procedures. A traditional posture called for Ottoman intervention in water management to follow the example of ancient rulers and thus preserve the 'natural' order of things."
While there were numerous practical reasons for this, there seems also to have been a political incentive, as seventeenth century Ottoman travel writer Evliya Celebi noted on his 1656 visit to Baghdad. "The land of Iraq is more prosperous than it was in the age of the caliphs," he wrote. Husain argues that the point Celebi is making here is that Istanbul's local legitimacy depended partially upon creating a smooth connection with Iraq's "glorious past".
Irrigation was also a major part of the Ottoman's political ideology, known as the "circle of justice". This concept links economic prosperity with good governance and social justice; for the Ottomans, Iraq's waterways were essential to wealth creation as well as political and social harmony.
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Text by: Usman Butt. In a book review of Faisal H. Husain’s Rivers of the Sultan: The Tigris and the Euphrates in the Ottoman Empire. Published online in Review - Books and Review sections at Middle East Monitor on 28 March 2022. [Bolded emphasis added by me.]
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designingmonkey · 11 months
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There are plenty of fantastic African Kingdoms that have decades of great stories to tell. But hey.
Cleopatra was either of full Macedonian Greek descent or half Greek half with Egyptian (Berber? Levantine?) matrilineal line. But as the first Ptolemaic ruler to speak Egyptian that’s unlikely.
But in typical American fashion Jada Pickett does not let facts get in the way of what she wishes to be true.
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folkfashion · 2 years
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Macedonian woman, North Macedonia, by Martin Trajkovski
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inaaontheskyways · 7 months
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Since all my OCs come from different corners of the Spiral and are of varying mythological beings, I decided to compile a list of both their origins and occupations!
(Sidenote: some details about certain worlds! Those in purple belong or were reimagined by me, those in green are just canon worlds renamed by me, and those in red belong to @prince-of-khrysalis and @brewbellwizardry!)
Caelum: Eva (Filipina-Palestinian-Calé/angel; astralmancy/Eden caretaker)
Lemuria:
Kalpana (Nepali/cthulhi; spatiomancy/avatar)
David (Jewish American/lich; chronomancy/conman)
Milagro (Dominican/sylph; thaumaturgy/hoop aerialist)
Heroica:
Vontae (Black American; physical, hero trainee)
Iina (Navajo; mental, fashion major)
Airam (Nicaraguan-American; almighty, freelance hacker)
Binna (Korean-American/A.I.; reality/idol)
Melanie (White American/virus; reality/villain sidekick)
Kamiyah (Black-Ecuadorian; disempowered, street racer)
Empyrea:
Eranuhi (Armenian Lom/pixie; solarmancy/Miracle Mitch's assistant)
İnayət (Azerbaijani/pig; divination/keytarist)
Shushana (Georgian Jewish/alphoi; lunarmancy/singer)
Grizzleheim:
K'ila (Greenlandic Inuit/snow angel; thaumaturgy/martyr)
Greko (Finnish/näkki; privateer/Ironclaws leader)
Cedine (Afro Norwegian; musketeer, Wolf ranger)
Othi (Swedish Romani; swashbuckler, Splithoofs fighter)
Sarai (Danish Jewish; buccaneer, wanderer)
Darkmoor:
Sevastjan (Estonian/werewolf; solarmancy/W.C. Forces guardsman)
Vidas (Lithuanian, vampire bat; thief)
Līga (Latvian/gargoyle; chronomancy/bounty hunter)
Greeta (Estonian; necromancy, Rickoyoto student)
Polaris:
Prokhor (Russian; divination, Ravenwood student)
Hadria (French Algerian, arctic hare; La Révolution lieutenant)
Théane (Monégasque/matagot; conjuration/bartender)
Hilol (Uzbek, courtesan)
Nima (Buryat, half-polar bear; cigarette boy)
Gamassa:
Priscila (Cuban/avialtri; umbramancy/researcher)
Jacinto (Afro Venezuelan/changeling; conjuration/Arcana student)
Roshan (Iranian, half-bunny; ex maiden-in-training)
Yuuto (Japanese/cambion; mysticism/hitman)
Karamelle:
Goldie (Austrian Jewish; conjuration, Ravenwood student)
Elise (Papuan/gnome; theurgy/figure skater)
Aulia (Indonesian, half-raccoon; housespouse)
Rayner (German Turk/elf; lunarmancy/doctor)
Avalon:
Vaino (Welsh Romani; pyromancy, Ravenwood student)
Carmel (Welsh Jewish; necromancy, alchemist)
Meriful (Scottish Romani/anthusiai; necromancy/druid)
Darina (Afro Irish, half-deer; budding writer)
Marleybone:
Sestiva (Irish; necromancy, Ravenwood student)
Zakhi (Afro Scottish; buccaneer, Shatterhands tank)
Trainet (Scottish Romani, mouse; Quarrel Mob moll)
Wysteria:
Bisera (Bulgarian Turk; thaumaturgy, assitant librarian)
Peritz (Jewish Canadian; theurgy, Pigswick student)
Monquista:
Zãne (Basque/aidegatxo; divination/smuggler)
Yeniel (Afro Spanish/anjana; theurgy/healer)
Jamilla (Portuguese Jewish/anjana; mysticism/astrologist)
Cosme (Spanish; stellarmancy, aristocrat)
Wizard City:
Tiena (English Romani; lunarmancy/handyman)
Alura (Black Canadian; conjuration/W.C. Forces artificer)
Epimetej (Bosnian/half-draconian; pyromancy/Ravenwood student)
Coloratura:
Ithal (Irish Romani; sorcery, W.C. Forces knight)
Cherie (Haitian/elf; spatiomancy/concubine)
Zulekha (Lebanese/ghost; chronomancy/ex-concubine)
Kinna (Welsh; pyromancy, head priestess)
Dragonspyre:
Ivan (Serbian; necromancy, Dragonhorn Order knight)
Uana (Romanian; divination, Storm Department major)
Yakov (Bulgarian Jewish; thaumaturgy, Chivalric Forces trainee)
Mateja (Slovenian; pyromancy, Dragonhorn Order knight)
Qendräk (Albanian Ashkali; conjuration, Myth Department major)
Eldra (Croatian Romani; theurgy, Life Department major)
Andrej (Macedonian; sorcery, Balance Department major)
Vitalia:
Ariele (Italian Jewish‐Tunisian/half-guinea pig; dualism/Shatterhands bag-boy)
Lereia (Italian Jewish-Tunisian, porcelain doll; hitch-hiker)
Luretta (Sicilian Moroccan, half-unicorn; Resistance spy)
Valente (Genovese, unicorn; Armada soldier)
Aquila:
Titania (Greek; privateer, Shatterhands 2nd-in-command)
Zinon (Greek/elf; mysticism/wanderer)
Spisene (Greek Romani; divination, Arcadia student)
Taysa (Afro Greek/asteriai; stellarmancy/Arcadia student)
Mirage:
Yousef (Saudi/vampire; thaumaturgy/House of Tabbi captain)
Wafae (Afro-Omani/avialtri; spatiomancy/wanderer)
Ku-aya (Iraqi/udug; umbramancy/Silenus' ward)
Krokotopia:
Meresamun (Nubian; chronomancy, Temple of Balance priestess)
Kreianos (Nubian/half-krok; pyromancy/Medjai commander)
Fibruniyah (Copt/undine; divination/ferrywoman)
Wagguten (Berber; sorcery, Temple of Balance trainee)
Zafaria:
Resego (Tswanan; necromancy, Arcanum researcher)
Umklomelo (Zulu/tikoloshe; necromancy/blacksmith)
Mooshu:
Dechen (Tibetan; theurgy, Ravenwood student)
Choua (Hmong; mysticism, Shatterhands witch)
Nengmei (Chinese/huli jing; pyromancy/bride-to-be)
Zayaa (Mongolian/frog; thaumaturgy/Shangri Baa apprentice)
Rajah:
Fulki (Santhal/guhyaka; conjuration/princess)
Zeenat (Pakistani/genie; miraclism/Fulki's contractor)
Yago:
Luntian (Bisayan/kataw; lunarmancy/babylan)
Liwliwa (Iloco/diwata; stellarmancy/loner)
Wallaru: Jiemba (Wiradjuri/mimih; solarmancy/Didgeri dragon caretaker)
Celestia:
Aroha (Maori/ice construct; thaumaturgy/Ravenwood student)
Fielea (Tongan/swan maiden; astralmancy/Eight Legs agent)
Mikaere (Maori/lunari; spatiomancy/bodyguard)
Skull Island:
Julien (White Caribbean; swashbuckler, Shatterhands captain)
Haydée (Puerto Rican/elf; sorcery/Gravulum Order researcher)
Aviarios:
Daniel (Jewish American; underground fighter)
Lázaro (Cuban-American/cagueiro; lunarmancy/private eye)
Audélia (Jewish American, half-canary; tabloid reporter)
Tiara (Japanese-Chumash, ladybug; aspiring starlet)
Cool Ranch:
Otaktay (Lakota; musketeer, Shatterhands sniper)
Jewel (Black American, half ball-tailed cat; magician)
Basilio (Mexican, coyote; sheriff)
Heyra (Mexican/duende; solarmancy/amateur monstrologist)
Coatlán:
Tlacelel (Nahua/nagual; chronomancy/bounty hunter)
Nayeli (Zapotec/cactus dryad; sorcery/photomancer)
Melodioso:
Odalis (Panamanian/myrmeki; theurgy/bride)
Yasmin (Brazilian/boiúna; sorcery/mercenary)
Painé (Chilean/carbunclo; astralmancy/bard)
El Dorado:
Raymundo (Colombian/solari; solarmancy/prince)
Yadira (Colombian/stellari; stellarmancy/princess)
Khrysalis:
Nona (Assyrian/pyros; stellarmancy/shadow hunter)
Isidora (Guatemalan/squirrel; conjuration/war messenger)
Shay (Irish Jewish/sea slug; pyromancy/code breaker)
InvictaMane: Kem (English Romani/incubus; theurgist/court jester)
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Mornings and Evenings with Jesus
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by William Jay
Morning, March 20th
A glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. - Ephesians 5:27
The church, when presented to the Saviour by himself, will be glorious. And is not his church glorious now? It is. It is not a glorious church indeed in the eyes of the world, for the world knoweth them not; they are often like their Lord, “despised and rejected of men;” but they are glorious in the eyes of the Lord. The Judge of all, even when he sees them “wandering in goatskins and sheep-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,” says, “Of them the world is not worthy.” We may turn to the language of God in one of the Psalms:-“Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.” What are the mountains of prey? Why, those empires that love war,-that live on the spoil or the prey. Nothing is so splendid in the view of carnal men as these mountains of prey.
We see how the Assyrian, the Persian, the Macedonian, and the Roman empires were presented by God to Daniel. He saw them as “four great beasts coming up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. And behold, another beast, a second, like to a bear; and it raised itself up on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.”
But though the church is now “glorious,” and “more glorious than the mountains of prey,” yet its glory is partially prevented and obscured now. It is so by the fewness of its numbers. Here we can only see the Lord’s army in its recruiting state, or as learning its exercise, or as practising in small detachments. But when the whole shall be completed, oh, then may it well be said, “Who is this that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?” Its glory is now partially prevented and obscured by inter-mixtures. The lilies are among the thorns; the tares are among the wheat. “Among my people,” says God, “are found wicked men;” and now we very well know the few will often characterize the many, and the false will throw suspicion on the true, and the bad will serve to disgrace the good. “But then,” says our Saviour, “the angels shall gather together out of his kingdom everything that offends;” and then he will cast them into a furnace of fire; “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth;” and “then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
It is now also partially prevented and obscured by their outward condition. They are now often poor; then shall they “possess all things.” They are often despised now; then their very enemies will exclaim, “We fools counted their lives madness, and their end to be without honour; now are they numbered with the children of God, and their lot is among the saints.” Now they are often oppressed; many rise over their heads; but “the righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning.” Now they are judged, (how falsely judged often!) but then they will be the judges:-“What, know ye not that the saints will judge the world? Know ye not that saints shall judge angels?” Now they “groan, being burdened;” then they will be freed from the burden of the flesh, and those vile bodies shall be fashioned like the Saviour’s own glorious body.
Above all, the glory of the church is now partially prevented and obscured by moral infirmities. They are, indeed, made to differ from others, and from their former selves; but they are not yet fully sanctified. But the apostle tells the Colossians that they who have been “sometime alienated, and enemies in their minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present them holy and unblamable in his sight.”
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