#mausolea

[mustymausoleum]

I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but what was the first thing about your blorbos that drew you in?

of course I don't mind! <3

honestly I'm not sure there's a lot of overlap to my list of scrunkly blorbos, so I'll go for a list format in chronological order of first blorbo to most recent blorbo <3

Myrnin [the morganville vampire series]: I like unhinged yet dorky vampires with hella baggage and welsh accents I guess

L [death note]: he's just a weird little guy who looks half dead

Lucifer [supernatural]: mark pelligrino evil man sexy also funny

Eridan Ampora [homestuck]: the most dripping wet cardboard box baby of all time he's just so puntable I love him the asshole

Scarecrow / Jonathan Crane [batman]: this dork is so slay I absolutely adore him and his skrunkly little hroo hraa ass. Masters of Fear 1995 scarecrow my sweet gangly beloved.

The Riddler / Edward Nygma [batman]: poor little meow meow with a crippling inferiority complex I related to a little too much. Arkhamverse riddler is such babygirl tbh

Daycare Attendant [FNAF SB]: I adore these chaotic metal gremlins so much, sun is a sweetie, moon is a demon, both are excellent and very put in a jar and shakeable. They are the embodiment of the "cat of the week" meme. moon bit my ass.

The Duke / The Masked Duke [resident evil 8 village]: big man sexy, he's so charming and vaguely threatening and handsome and and and swoon. and masked duke? hunt me big evil sadistic daddy

Big Jack Horner [PIB II]: his character design makes my brain feel like it's full of pop rocks. no but for real I adore his unabashed assholery, an unapologetically awful man with a very squidgeable face and Big Meaty Hands TM also, like The Duke, he could crush me like a bug. nice.

as you can see I have progressed from respectable, regular looking blorbos, to deranged, homicidal, not even human looking sometimes blorbos.

[knightofhylia]

🐐

- Flora ♓️🌺🫶🏼

🐐

Something you have been ignoring Danu, Mother of Creation - Motherhood, Ferocity, Creation Support in creative pursuits, motherhood and wisdom, nurturing guide but also fierce protector of what is created

How this impacts your life Arthur, the Champion of Avalon - Companionship, Nobility, Self - Realization Faith in yourself, seek out better versions of yourself, like minded friends, even greatest warriors do not battle alone

How to acknowledge it Abraham the Justice, Justice of Pandemonium - Justice, Truth, Duty Moral intregtriy, discarding what is unworthy of ourselves, true selves, rebuilding character Overall: You are ignoring the things you created or want to create out of passion instead of being told what to do. With creation you are also obligate to protect your art or talent. This means knowing when to stand up for yourself and also take criticism. It is a double edged sword. This impacts your life because you have lost faith in yourself and your ability to make a difference in the world. Strength is not mean facing challenges alone, it's cooperation. Acknowledge the message by re evaluating your morals and responsibilities. If you are unhappy with yourself, only you can change that. It takes time to rebuild yourself back up, but the work will be well paid off in the future.

[ericswiftie]

This is my favorite Oracle deck and love having it in my store. Such beautiful rich artwork and energy.

[wonder-worker]

One of the most unequivocal examples of patronage linking the Angevin kings and their mothers is seen in the Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame en Voeu, Normandy. A charter from 1152 recorded the foundation by [Empress Matilda] and Henry II, and stated that she and her son created the abbey in honour of Henry I, Matilda of Scotland, and Geoffrey of Anjou, as well as for the souls of their heirs. The abbey was created after Matilda made a vow to found a new Cistercian order after the 1142 siege of Oxford. Henry II confirmed Matilda’s foundation of the abbey in a charter dating between 1170 and 1179, and placed Notre-Dame-en-Voeu under his protection in a separate charter issued between 1174 and 1182.

[Eleanor of Aquitaine] also made a grant to Notre-Dame-en-Voeu between 1189 and 1191, consisting of a portion of land from the forest of Lillebonne, part of her dower settlement, though whether this was through her own instigation or Henry’s is unknown. It is plausible she would have supported the abbey as a new site of familial patronage. John also made a grant to the abbey in 1201, which was plausibly at Eleanor’s instigation given the association of the Plantagenets with this institution.  This charter, in combination with a separate grant to Bec in 1203, demonstrates the importance of Normandy to John at this critical juncture of war with Philip Augustus. This is of particular significance when contrasted with John’s activities in Normandy prior to becoming king, as highlighted by Nicholas Vincent, wherein John’s patronage of Norman institutions was scarce. Given the attention paid to Fontevraud as a familial mausolea [...] and the expanse of the Angevin dominions, it is not surprising a separate site for Angevin patronage was established with Notre-Dame-en-Voeu. Situated in the Anglo-Norman heartlands, it showed the extension of Plantagenet patronage across its domains. This example of ecclesiastical patronage shows the strength of the mother-son relationships in the Angevin domains, as both Matilda and Eleanor bound their sons to patronise a specific establishment. The motivations for doing so were to ensure dynastic security in these regions and demonstrates the co-operation and familial harmony between the three kings and their mothers

-Gabrielle Storey, "Co-Rulership, Co-operation and Competition: Queenship in the Angevin Domains, 1135-1230", University of Winchester, PHD thesis, 2020.

[lierrelearns]

皇居東御苑 The East Gardens of the Imperial (HIgashi-Gyoen) 所要時間 大手本 → 本丸、二の丸ーー大手門 およそ60分 →二の丸、ーーー平川門 およそ30分 →本丸ーーーー北桔橋門 およそ30分

乾門　Inui-mon Gate 至千鳥ヶ淵　For Chidorigafuchi 科学技術館　Science Museum 国立公文書館　National Archives of Japan 東京国立近代武術間　The National Museum of MODERN ART, Tokyo 乾濠　Inui-bori Moat 発券所　Ticket office 北桔橋門　Kita-hanebashi-mon Gate 平川濠　Hirakawa-bori Moat 1a出口 (Exit) 地下鉄　竹橋駅　Takebashi Sta. 清水濠　Shimizu-bori Moat 平川門　Hirakawa-mon Gate 天守台　Tenshudai (Tenshukaku Dunjon Base) 宮内庁書陵部庁舎　Shoryobu (Archives and Mausolea Department Bldg.) 桃華楽堂　Gakubu (Music Department Bldg.) 梅林坂　Bairin-zaka Slope 都道府県の木　Symbolic Prefectural Tree Emblems 天神濠　Tenjin-bori Moat 発券所　Ticket office 大手濠　Ote-bori Moat 内堀通り　Uchibori-street 諏訪の茶屋　Suwano-chaya Tea House 竹林　Bamboo Garden 石室　Ishimuro (Stone Cellar) 桜の島　Sakura Blossom Island 富士見多門　Fujimi-tamon Defence-house バラ園　Rose Garden 茶畑　Tea Garden ユーロッパアカマツ　Scots Pine 本丸　Honmaru 本丸大芝生　Honmaru Oshibafu (Lawn) 本丸休憩所　Honmaru Rest House 汐見坂　Shiomizaka Slope 白鳥濠　Hakucho-bori Moat 展望台　Observatory 二の丸休憩所　Ninomaru Rest House 二の丸雑木林　Ninomaru Grove 秋の七草　The Seven Flowers of Autumn 新雑木林　Renewed Grove 菖蒲田　Iris Garden 二の丸庭園　Ninomaru Garden 蓮池濠　Hausike-bori Moat 松の大廊下跡　Site of Matsuno-o-roka Corridor 果樹古品種園　Orchard (Old Species of Japanese Fruits) 野草の島　Wild Grass Island 緑の泉　Green Fountain 中雀門跡　Site of Chujaku-mon Gate 大番所　O-bansho Guardhouse 中之門跡　Site of Nakano-mon Gate 百人番所　Hyakunin-bansho Guardhouse 同心番所　Doshin-bansho Guardhouse 大手休憩所　Ote Rest House 三の丸尚蔵館　Sannomaru Shozokan　The museum of the Imperial Collections 皇居東御苑管理事務所　Office of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace 発券所　Ticket Office 大手門　Ote-mon Gate 現在地　You are Here C13b出口 (Exit)　Otemachi Sta. 坂下門　Sakashita-mon Gate 富士見櫓　Fujimi-yagura (Mt. Fuji View Keep 蛤濠　Hamaguri-bori Moat 桔梗門　Kikyo-mon Gate 桔梗濠　Kikyo-bori Moat ←至　二重橋　For Nijubashi Bridge 皇居外苑　Kokyi gaien National garden 至 JR東京駅　For Tokyo Sta. 和田倉噴水公園　Wadakura Fountain Park 日比谷通り　Hibiya-street

皇居東御苑は、旧江戸城本丸、二の丸及び三の丸の一部を皇居付属庭園として、宮中行事に支障のない限り次のように公開(無量)しています。（Free of charge）

１．出入門 大手門、平川門、北桔橋門の３つの門から出入り出来ます。 ２．休園日 （１）月曜日及び金曜日 ただし、天皇誕生日以外の「国民の祝日等の休日」は公開します。なお、月曜日が休日で公開する場合は、火曜日（休日を除く）を休園します。 （２）12月28日から翌年1月3日までの日 ３．入園手続き 入園するは、各門内の発券所で入園票を受け取り、退園の際にはいずれかの発券所にお返し下さい。 宮内庁

１．The Gardens are open on the following days. However the Gardens are closed in the period between 28 December and 3 January and may be closed due to Court functions and other reasons. ① Wednesdays ② Thursdays ③ Saturdays ④ Sundays ⑤ National Holidays (excluding the Emperor’s Birthday, 23 December) ⑥ Mondays immediately following the National Holiday which falls on Sunday ⑦ Tuesdays (excluding Tuesday immediately following ⑤ and ⑥) ２．While you are in the Gardens, please keep the plastic ticket which you will receive at the gate. Please return the ticket to the officer at the exit gate. IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY

公益財団法人菊葉文化協会 寄贈 財団法人日本宝くじ協会

Vocab 皇居（こうきょ）imperial 御苑（ぎょえん）imperial garden 所要時間（しょようじかん）time required, time taken 至（し）to 科学時術（かがくじじゅつ）science and technology 近代美術館（きんだいびじゅつかん）museum of modern art 濠（ほり）moat, canal 発券（はっけん）issuing (a ticket, etc.) 宮内庁（くないちょう）Imperial Household Agency 書陵部（しょりょうぶ）agency that takes care of records and the tombs 庁舎（ちょうしゃ）government office building 梅林（ばいりん）plum grove 都道府県（とどうふけん）prefectures of Japan 竹林（ちくりん）bamboo grove 茶畑（ちゃばたけ）tea field ユーロッパアカマツ Scots/Scotch pine, Pinus slyvestris 芝生（しばふ）lawn, grass 休憩所（きゅうけいしょ）rest area, rest stop 展望台（てんぼうだい）observation deck 雑木林（ぞうきばやし）thicket; grove of miscellaneous trees 秋の七草（あきのななくさ）seven flowers of autumn: bush clover, Chinese silvergrass, kudzu, fringed pink, golden lace, thoroughwort, and balloon flower 菖蒲（しょうぶ）Japanese iris (Iris ensata var. ensata) [coll.] 果樹（かじゅ）fruit tree 品種（ひんしゅ）breed variety, cultivar 野草（のぐさ）wild grasses 泉（いずみ）fountain 番所（ばんしょ）guardhouse 桔梗（ききょう）Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus) 外苑（がいえん）outer garden 噴水（ふんすい）water fountain 付属（ふぞく）being attached (to), belonging (to) 宮中（きゅうちゅう）imperial court 行事（ぎょうじ）event, function 支障（ししょう）obstacle, hindrance 休園日（きゅうえんび��day on which a park (or kindergarten or zoo) is closed 祝日（しゅくじつ）national holiday なお　furthermore 除く（のぞく）to exclude, except 手続き（てつづき）procedure, process 票（ひょう）ticket, stub (suffix) 公益財団法人（こうえきざいだんほうじん）public interest incorporated foundation 文化協会（ぶんかきょうかい）cultural association 公益財団法人菊葉文化協会（こうえきざいだんほうじんきくようぶんかきょうかい）a cultural association that focuses its research on making artifacts of the imperial household available to the public. 寄贈（きぞう）donation, gift 宝くじ（たからくじ）lottery ticket

[astarab1aze]

vampires

...come in all shapes, sizes, colors, creeds, etc etc. there is a clearly drawn line between them and other nightfolk genetically, but there are many vastly different ways one can be made - and who they can turn out to be, what abilities or talents they could have. it's a mixed bag between the undead and those who live but are of colder blood, and bloodlines / sires heavily influence genetics, inherited abilities, tolerable diet, general health issues, and plenty more ( for example: the morteatum family has a unique affinity toward the water element. moving water is a danger to most vampires (the psychic and energy varieties excluded) except the morteatums, as their affinity occasionally births a child capable of traveling over bodies of water safely, without bursting into flames & the power to manipulate it; a trademark of their genetic line is pale pink irises and silvery hair )

there are two types of vampires, however; blooded vampires, who are natural-born, and turned vampires, which needs no explanation. blooded vampires have a distinct advantage over the others in that they're able to call upon multiple elements in the same manner as sorcerers and wizards. turned vampires, unless already possessive such control, do not, only capable of the typical vampiric shapeshifting (wolf, bat, cat), mist step, short-distance teleportation, vampire telepathy, and so on - they inherit all the same weaknesses too ( uv light, silver, iron, sanctified objects, garlic allergies, bloodthirst, compulsive counting, etc )

they can naturally charm, bewitch, and enthrall, glamour themselves and hypnotize others into doing their bidding. they can transform into bats, cats, and wolves from birth / turning, mist through select physical barriers, fly, levitate, teleport, call upon insects, bats, wraiths, use various necrotic spells, disappear in mirrors, are immortal but not invulnerable, telepathically communicate with those they've bitten, have high resistances to necrotic and ice magic.

unfortunately for everyone, the non-monstrous sorts are incredibly beautiful. ethereal, elf-like, even fairy-like in some respects. beautiful creatures who ensnare their victims in charming webs of sex, intrigue, mystery, and indulgence before entreating them to a vicious end.

in the modern day, vampires are barred from feeding on the living, forced to find sustenance from blood donation centers exclusively. there is a schism among them in part for this reason, headed by the vampire separatist group the red hand (comprised of the morteatum, mausolea, montgomery, and morningstar families as well as other, non-familial members). anyway, blood is vitally important for them to survive and with limited or heavily restricted access to it, they are effectively starving under the u.s. department of regulatory sorceries. there is a lot of political fuckery going on among the vampire nobles; some are in positions of governmental power, beyond the drs. plenty more occupy other positions of power in sanguinarian churches, hollywood, meatpacking, medicine, and other industries. they're quite the enterprising bunch and love politics - manipulating people into doing their bidding never gets old.

they have their own language, but there are very few who know it well. only the oldest vampires such as dracula, some members of the sanguinarian clergy, and certainly the vampire nobles know it. there are a handful linguists who may happen to know some of it, but it's notoriously difficult to learn in the first place and vampires aren't too keen on having their secrets exposed.

the 600 headcanons thrown into this all deserve their own post, but bloodthirst desperately needs to be mentioned here as it is a very difficult part of being a vampire. it's an intense hunger that, if ignored for too long, results in a steady degradation of the mind and reversion to a primitive, feral, or doll-like docile state. it starts with anxiety, impulsivity, hypersexuality, compulsion, obsession, mood swings, blackouts, and random fits of desperate violence. crimson shadows in the periphery, tainting irises deep scarlet, and the sclera blackens. often, a vampire will suffer dizziness, exhaustion, panic, achy joints, temporary loss of cognitive function... the list goes on. advanced stages of bloodthirst will cause a vampire to regress into a more bestial state, morphing them into a twisted, monstrous exaggerations more commonly found in folklore. ghoulish creatures with translucent, skin and gnarled fangs, too-long fingers and a complete loss of identity, hair, sight, rationality, and more; they become no better than gangly undead rats with no fur. on top of this, they lose their resistences to all magic, physically cannot stop themselves from going into a frenzy and drinking insatiably-- it's a mess, it's a mess, and transformations as well as symptoms can change depending on the individual. in any event, they become something else, something that is vampire no longer. it's an extremely terrifying prospect and potentially a certainty for most of them.

[mahayanapilgrim]

Koyasan - The Sacred Mountain of Shingon Buddhism

Nestled amidst the serene forests of the Kii Mountains in the north-eastern part of Wakayama Prefecture, south of Osaka, Koyasan, also known as Mount Koya, is a place of profound spiritual and historical significance. It is one of the three sacred sites, including Yoshino and Omine, and Kumano Sanzan, that are interconnected through ancient pilgrimage routes leading to the historic Japanese capital cities of Nara and Kyoto.

Koyasan is a place where time seems to stand still, where nature and spirituality blend seamlessly. This site is not merely a testament to religious devotion but also a reflection of the harmonious fusion of Shinto and Buddhism, two of Japan's most influential belief systems. Shinto, deeply rooted in Japan's ancient tradition of nature worship, coexists with Buddhism, introduced to Japan in the 6th century from China and the Korean Peninsula.

The origins of Koyasan's spiritual significance can be traced back to as early as the 9th century when several shrines were established, some predating the arrival of Buddhism in Japan. These shrines symbolize the rich tapestry of Japan's spiritual heritage and the coexistence of various belief systems over the centuries.

At the pinnacle of Koyasan stands Kongobuji, the principal temple of the esoteric Shingon Buddhist sect. Founded in 816 by the revered monk and scholar Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi, this temple serves as the heart of spiritual practice in Koyasan. Kukai's vision transformed Koyasan into a sacred mountain for ascetic practitioners, and his legacy endures through the Shingon Buddhist tradition. Koyasan is home to a Designated National Treasure, featuring over 120 temples, each contributing to the spiritual ambiance and cultural significance of the area.

One of the most striking features of Koyasan is its Inner Sanctuary, which houses a vast cemetery, including the mausolea of many renowned figures in Japanese history. Among them is the final resting place of the 16th-century samurai ruler, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. This cemetery is not only a place of historical importance but also a testament to the enduring reverence for ancestors and the continuation of sacred traditions.

Koyasan is also marked by the grandeur of its Daimon Gate, which has stood as the main entrance to the temple complex since its inception. This gate, standing at a remarkable 25 meters in height, welcomes pilgrims and visitors alike, symbolizing the enduring spiritual journey that Koyasan represents.

Today, Koyasan continues to be an integral part of Japan's living culture. It is a place of deep spiritual connection and tranquility, attracting approximately 15 million visitors annually. The temple offers lodging facilities for pilgrims and visitors, allowing them to experience the serene ambiance of Koyasan and partake in its spiritual heritage.

In conclusion, Koyasan, with its rich history, spiritual significance, and cultural importance, stands as a testament to Japan's enduring reverence for the sacred and the coexistence of diverse belief systems. It is a place where the past seamlessly merges with the present, offering a unique and deeply enriching experience for all who visit.

[just-another-star-47]

#HLMCOctober

Day 10 : Your MCs are alone at a graveyard. What would they do?

Luscinia would firstly enjoy the quietness of the place, strolling over the graveyard, reading the names on the stones, paying her respect to them. Excluding rich ones in mausolea. These people don't need all the belongings their burried with, right?

Corvus.. would just leave. 😅

Bonus

What would happen if you meet them at the graveyard? In a dark and gloomy night, hundred of years after the inhabitants of the small village had lastly heard about the Plonbraw family...

[bloodilymerry]

Worldbuilding Notes: Funerary Rites

Evolution of funerary rites

Since Quintessons recycled the bodies of dead slaves, Cybertronians did not have a body to center their grief on. Instead, they wrote names on an available surface as a way to preserve the memory of their fallen.

Eventually, this progressed to designating a specific type of object (a stand) for inscribing names on. At this stage a cover is added–it’s placed over the stand, for the following reasons:

practical: it obscures the object from the Quintessons

psychological: places a border between the time of grieving (the cover is lifted) and time when you keep the dead out of your mind (the cover is drawn).

At some point a light source is placed on the covered stand - it stands in for the All-Spark to which the sparks of the dead are returned.

Once the Quintessons are driven off Cybertron, a. there’s a lot less dead and b. if there are dead, they leave bodies behind. This is when the inscribed stands are replaced by mausolea, where the corpse is deposited. The cover becomes a veil at the entrance of the mausoleum and there’s a light source placed at the resting place of the corpse.

Quintesson-built Cybertronians tended to keep their shrines even after mausoleums became wide-spread. However, post-Quintesson Cybertronians did not start using them, even during the wars, where performing the modern rites was more difficult.

Decepticons

Eventually, Decepticons progressed to erecting a statue/encasing the body in some metal and placing it in the mausoleum, which were only visited during funerals. They were afraid to disturb the dead, because they were dangerous. 

Why do they consider the dead dangerous? It is a mixture of the following:

guilt 

over the war and killing (“we’re the reason there’s so many dead, so they’re angry with us”)

Recursive guilt: we keep the dead forgotten, so they should be angry with us, so we don’t visit their places, so they’re angry at us, so we don’t visit their places

projection: if I were killed, I’d be angry with the living for being alive and killing me and/or not saving me

discomfort with the idea of mortality in general.

The statues served as “bribes” to the dead to keep them from leaving their resting place. The veil was also supposed to keep them trapped in their resting place and prevent them from leaving the mausoleum.

Autobots

Autobots moved their mausoleum to a giant barge, where all the dead from the Great War rest. Unlike the Decepticons, they did not erect statues and instead used names as representations of the dead, along with an Autobot symbol. 

There were no rituals once the dead were interred.

As a whole, Autobots didn’t view the dead as dangerous, for the following reasons:

They don’t suffer from the type of recursive guilt Decepticons tend to, because they don’t tend to actively try to forget them, even if the memories are painful

Since Autobots tend to have bigger social in-groups, their line of thinking is more “if I were dead, I wouldn’t want my friends to suffer”, so they don’t think other Autobots would return to haunt them 

Primes are seen as benign “ancestors” who watch over Autobots, which potentially might extend into a generalized belief that the dead are well-meaning and willing to share wisdom in time of crisis

Shared features:

Mausoleums

Lack of memorial rites at the mausoleums. The dead are interred and left in peace.

A veil at the entrance

Light source at the resting place of the body.

Differences:

Dangerous vs benign dead

Statues on the graves vs names

[panicinthestudio]

Depicting Judaism in a medieval Christian ivory, January 2, 2023

Plaque with the Crucifixion and the Holy Women at the Tomb, c. 870 (Carolingian, likely Metz), ivory, 23.8 x 12.3 x 0.6 cm (Met Cloisters and Musée du Louvre) 

Speakers: Dr. Ariel Fein and Dr. Steven Zucker

Smarthistory

The figures on this late Carolingian plaque are carved in a stately style and are defined by simple, linear draperies. Because of its size, format, and the nature of its subject, this plaque most likely served as the central decoration on the front cover of an evangelary. It depicts an allegorical crucifixion, a common theme in Metz ivories. Above the cross are bust-length personifications of the sun and the moon. From Christ's right side flows a stream of blood and water, which is caught by a personification of the Church. To the immediate right of Christ is the hooded figure of Synagogue, her body turning away. The entire group is flanked by the Virgin and St. John, executed in larger scale. Below them are Longinus with his lance, Stephaton with the sponge, and figures emerging from circular mausolea, a reference to the resurrection of the dead at the Last Judgment. The snake spiraled around the foot of the cross symbolizes Christ's triumph over death and evil. In the lower register, the three Maries appear at the tomb of Christ, a scene which is rarely combined with the Crucifixion in Carolingian art.

Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

[chrysalispen]

Prompt #27 - Hail

AO3 LINK HERE

Fill under cut.

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

Garlemald, Regio Urbanissima, 6AE 1565

  For a mercy there was no snow this morning, although the fat grey clouds overhead lay bloated with the promise of more to come. They hung thick and close in the sky over the procession winding up the road past the Palatium Novum and towards the upper reaches lying beyond the wall that split the city in twain. 

Attendees and onlookers alike watched from the sidewalks, their expressions running the gamut from idle curiosity to pinched solemnity. In truth precious few of them had known the dead man at all, let alone well. But his family name was a noble one and carried some considerable weight within military circles, and the families of the imperial aristocracy - while still ranked well below the importance and puissance of the emperor himself - had upon the dissolution of the republic retained the rights to their old funerary traditions when one of their so-called 'great men' passed. 

Aurelia privately suspected that this particular bit of concession owed itself not to lingering respect for the traditions of the old republic's ruling class, but merely to the old man's well-known love of the theatrical even amongst his own people. Never mind if he had actually known her father or not. That was immaterial.

Naturally, she had no intention of voicing that thought aloud to anyone. She wasn't that much of a fool.

Traffic on the road had been rerouted to clear a path all the way from the Enceladeum, where the transport holding her father's remains had docked to await preparations for a final interment. Burial was a rare luxury in the far north. Even with the country's relative prosperity in the wake of its industrial revolution, in the capital itself that was still a privilege afforded only to the nobility, and most were interred in stone mausolea near the imperial palace.

Despite the relative fame she had enjoyed in theater circles as a composer, even with imperial favor and recognition of her marriage, Aurelia's mother -- a commoner by birth -- was allotted no space in the family crypt. She had been placed upon a simple pyre and her ashes scattered, in far-off Dalmasca. 

All that Julian rem Laskaris had done to escape the fate that his family had mapped for him appeared to have come to naught in the end. Her father would be buried alone. Bereft even in death of the woman he had sacrificed so much to keep at his side, had adored beyond anything and anyone else in his life-- even his own child.

It seemed to Aurelia an appropriately tragic bookend to a short and unhappy life. The realization penetrated even the dull cloud that surrounded her emotions. 

So thinking, silent and morose, she led the van behind the bier: a transport outfitted for the occasion, draped with the ivory flag and its tripartite chain links and framed with roses and lilies. They were vibrant, the only other color to be seen from the sides of the road, and they were an illusion. Each flower had been alchemically preserved as a safeguard against the elements. It wouldn't do if they were to wilt before the coffin had completed its journey.

Julian rem Laskaris' daughter appeared to be in deep mourning herself, shambling in a haze behind the transport all in black crepe from head to toe, a veil obscuring her features from the gathered mourners and curious onlookers. It fluttered in the wake of her steps and nearly obscured her view of the grim-faced soldiers lining the last few yalms of the street up to the gate.

Ahead the Ist Imperial Legion in their black and scarlet held their gunblades aloft, a gesture of intended respect as she and the other members of her family drew near. The curvature of the swords formed a steel half-arch as the coffin passed.

As she made her way forward, shoes crunching upon the gravel, Aurelia felt oddly like a ghost or a wraith or perhaps some otherworldly creature born of the snow and ice that blanketed this frozen wasteland, left to wander for an eternity amidst the detritus of her old life. Passing beneath a gauntlet of watchful eyes and stiff salutes and the honor guard that flanked them.

A lone orphan playing at grief just as the flowers played at beauty. No doubt Solus zos Galvus was enjoying the pageantry of it all from his palace windows.

[knightofhylia]

Hi 🐐

My inicial is S ♓

Thank you

🐐

Something you have been ignoring The Maestro, Master of Inspiration - Understanding, Community, Ingenuity Mastery of any and all discipline,community and sharing knowledge, moving on to the next project after completing another, warning of stagnancy

How this impacts your life Nyx, Enchantress of Night - Secrets, Vigilance, Subterfuge Harmony is maintained through constant adjustment, subtle influences and persuasions, things going wrong but working in your favour in the end

How to acknowledge it The Thinker, the Father of Knowledge - Knowledge, Instruction, Reinvention Best way to improve is to teach and be taught by others, always learning, seeking the truth Overall: You have been ignoring the call to end something and move on. Other people in your community/family may have also taken notice of this struggle.There is information that needs to be exchanged in order for the gears to start moving again. The impacts your life because that information is staying hidden. Either on your part or some one else but there are hidden motivations and deception that have not come to light yet. Acknowledge it by actually acknowledging it! Either you need to reveal the information or someone needs to reveal it to you, either way nothing is going to change.

[ericswiftie]

Here is tonight’s Oracle reading using the Mausolea: Oracle of Souls deck. Tonight’s card is Charon. Charon is the ferryman who brings souls across the River Styx into the afterlife. He cannot be bartered with nor can his mind be changed. He is unmoved by anyone’s story or circumstances. 

To whoever needs to hear this. The transition you are going through now is a difficult one. At times it feels the Universe is out to get you, but the fact is, what you are dealing with is a natural transition. There is no emotion or feeling attached to it. You’ve been approaching it in such a way, which is why it has been so brutal on you. 

Let go of the emotions, take your hands off the wheel and let the Charon ferry you across the River. It may feel like a rough ride at times, but soon you’ll be through it and things will make more sense as you look back and gather yourself. Sometimes going with the flow is easier than moving against it, even if its something we aren’t thrilled with, it isn’t always under our control. We can only control our journey not the path. 

[that-gay-jedi]

I love how Gothic architecture is associated with all things gothic in the other sense of the word (well, the OTHER other sense if you're thinking of ancient Germanic peoples) but actually the main design goal was the create indoor spaces with as much sunlight as possible.

Beloved spooky staples like angel statues and gargoyles and mausolea all came in because these were sites of worship and the main reason religious buildings got the Gothic treatment ASAP was that to the designers, light meant God.

Reaching higher, coming out into the sun, making indoor spaces that felt more open and bright like the outdoors, to me these things are all indelibly tied to embracing the sharp spires, the chill of stone, the demon-haunted human mind that feels the need to build grotesques to scare unseen evils away. Nothing is more beautiful to me than the synergy between the love of life and the love of the macabre.

[billherbert23]

Birthday trip to Auchmithie for (mussels for) lunch included a wee stroll on the beach, a trip to Arbroath Abbey (maistly fenced aff), and finally finding the extraordinary Hospitalfields mausoleum. (Includes memento mori image that inspired ‘Death Wullie’ (fae The Wreck of the Fathership).) - Mussels, mausolea, and memento mori - happy birthday tae me!