#silvery outlook

[sinnamonsters]

I really like the whole Nightstars AU thing and like

I spent too much time on this. This is literally the first time I've drawn more than two characters in one picture. And I rarely do backgrounds

Fuck

[silveryoutlook]

Silvery Outlook Update 1, Pages 1-3

Happy 7th anniversary, Sparklecare!

[brisyl]

Brigh and Syl are now both open to questions!

I don't have any plans for a story or anything quite yet, this is just something cute I wanted to do to show off the ship a little while I write Silvery Outlook!

[bytefunnysilly]

BRISYL LOVE FOREVER ALWAYS !!!!! syl belongs to @sinnamonsters !!!

[terresdebrume]

Outlook no so good, says the magic eight ball again. Niko has excellent reading comprehension skills and with life, as with literature, denial only gets you so far. Niko breathes. She doesn't cry. It's a surprise. She thinks most people would.

"Aaaaw," says Litty in a mocking tone, "you don't like what the ball has to tell you?"

"Awe you gonna cwy?" Kingham adds, pretending to wipe his eyes.

Niko looks at them. She doesn't think they ever seemed so small before. She thinks she feels sad for them.

"I don't think I'm going to do that," Niko tells them.

She puts them under the sweater. Walks to her closet. Outlook not so good. Well. The message was clear, and Niko has excellent reading comprehension skills.

She didn't bring any full kimono, when she came here, but she has a silvery ensemble that will do the job nicely. She changes into the pants first. Then the top, left panel over right. She puts on the belt that looks like an obi.

She thinks: at least my hair is ready. She goes through her jewelry box like it's something sacred, and pulls on all her white rings and her white pearls. She finds the white nail polish she wore for her father's funeral, and brought to America because she felt bad about throwing the mostly full bottle away.

She paints her nails with more care than she's needed in years. She breathes. She prepares. She does not cry. The bright pink glitter on her eyes fails to make her smile. When she lifts the sweater from the jar again, Litty and Kingham stare at her, open mouthed.

"What the fuck?" Says Kingham first.

"Is that supposed to be a sexy snowman cosplay?" Says Litty. "You gonna go out there and seduce the bigfoot?"

Niko crouches to put her eyes level with them. She does not shiver. She does not cry. When she speaks, there is no tremor in her voice.

"You know, if you had been nicer to me, I'd let you out now."

"What?"

"What?"

She goes to the roof. When Edwin joins her, he says:

"Niko. You do not want to catch your death."

"I won't," Niko says.

After all, Niko has excellent reading comprehension skills.

She knows who'll catch up first.

(Reblogs make the world go round! Consider reblogging this if you enjoyed the snippet^^)

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Any HC's on what's going on with Luna?

Hi, so I really like Luna as a character, and I've seen various theories about her being a seer, which at least used to be popular in fic, but I never got that impression from her. Personally, I don't think there's anything magical going on with Luna. I think she's just a girl with imagination, a sense of whimsy, and some trauma of her own who chose to handle it through her internal little world rather than anger and other more externalized ways to cope.

So, this kinda ended up being a bit of a character study on Luna...

Pandora Lovegood & Luna's Trauma

One of the major moments in Luna's life that really changed her worldview and approach to people and the world was her mother's death:

“Have you . . .” he began. “I mean, who . . . has anyone you’ve known ever died?” “Yes,” said Luna simply, “my mother. She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day. I was nine.” “I’m sorry,” Harry mumbled. “Yes, it was rather horrible,” said Luna conversationally. “I still feel very sad about it sometimes. But I’ve still got Dad. And anyway, it’s not as though I’ll never see Mum again, is it?” “Er — isn’t it?” said Harry uncertainly. She shook her head in disbelief. “Oh, come on. You heard them, just behind the veil, didn’t you?” “You mean . . .” “In that room with the archway. They were just lurking out of sight, that’s all. You heard them.”

(OotP, 863)

I want to talk about her mother, her death, and Luna's general outlook on death and tragedy which explains a lot of her characters.

So Pandora Lovegood experimented with spells and one went badly enough to kill her in front of her 9-year-old daughter. This is why Luna can see Thestrals and hear voices from beyond the veil like Harry and Neville. But Luna, at her soul is an optimist and a very brave one at that. This is something that she doesn't share with her father, which I'd get to, so I think her outlook on life and death is actually something she learned from her mother.

Luna prefers to look at the half-full part of the glass. She is choosing not to get too sad over things or bothered over her bullying (which I'll get to). The main point is that Luna's way of dealing with the hardship and trauma of watching her mother die is to feel the sadness of it, but not let herself wallow in it. She keeps pushing herself forward.

I headcanon Luna took her mother's death to embrace her mother's outlook on life. That things will always be fine, that they'd always work out. I don't think Luna knows for certain everything will be fine, but she chooses to believe it will be and you see it with her later in the books as well.

“I was saying, what are those horse things?” Harry said, as he, Ron, and Luna made for the carriage in which Hermione and Ginny were already sitting. [...] “It’s all right,” said a dreamy voice from beside Harry as Ron vanished into the coach’s dark interior. “You’re not going mad or anything. I can see them too.” “Can you?” said Harry desperately, turning to Luna. He could see the bat-winged horses reflected in her wide, silvery eyes. “Oh yes,” said Luna, “I’ve been able to see them ever since my first day here. They’ve always pulled the carriages. Don’t worry. You’re just as sane as I am.” Smiling faintly, she climbed into the musty interior of the carriage after Ron. Not altogether reassured, Harry followed her.

(OotP, 198-199)

Again, this shows her way of dealing with death and loss that ended up helping Harry. She sees the Thestrals and instead of being discomforted by them and the loss they remind her of (like Neville and Theodore Nott), she tries to smile, to take comfort in the reminder of her mother. "It's sad that she's dead, but it's okay, things will be okay", it's not a direct quote, but I feel it summarises Luna's outlook on loss and negative life experiences in general.

Xenophilius and the Quibbler

As I mentioned above, Xenophilius is much less brave and optimistic than Luna, hence why I think she learned her positive outlook from Pandora and not him:

Xenophilius gulped. He seemed to be steeling himself. Finally, he said in a shaky voice difficult to hear over the noise of the printing press, “Luna is down at the stream, fishing for Freshwater Plimpies. She . . . she will like to see you. I’ll go and call her and then—very well. I shall try to help you.” He disappeared down the spiral staircase and they heard the front door open and close. They looked at each other. “Cowardly old wart,” said Ron. “Luna’s got ten times his guts.”

(DH, 347)

I understand him, I really do. He lost his wife, and his daughter is all he has, of course, he's scared of helping Harry. He doesn't want to lose Luna too. But, I headcanon Pandora was like Luna in that regard. She wouldn't have let fear stop her. I mean, she had to be brave to experiment with the kind of dangerous spells that'll kill her.

The other thing I want to note about Xenophilius and Luna is how close they seem to be whenever we see them:

Bidding the wizards farewell, he turned to his daughter, who held up her finger and said, “Daddy, look—one of the gnomes actually bit me!” “How wonderful! Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial!” said Mr. Lovegood, seizing Luna’s outstretched finger and examining the bleeding puncture marks. “Luna, my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today—perhaps an unexpected urge to sing opera or to declaim in Mermish—do not repress it! You may have been gifted by the Gernumblies!”

(DH, 124)

They seem very affectionate and close, both with words and I'm sure also physical affection. Luna even mentions she still has her dad when she explains how she handles her mother's loss. I think both of them grew closer and more dependent on each other after Pandora's death. And I think that's what really pulled them both through it. Each other.

I write about it more later in this post, but Luna tends to comfort a lot of characters. Hermione, Ollivanders, Harry, and I think the first person she practiced this with was her father. She is a very empathetic person and she watched loss affect her father first-hand. I think, that after they lost Pandora, Luna did more of the heavy lifting in terms of emotional comfort rather than Xenophilius, who was probably a bit of a wreck.

Now, the third major thing I think Luna learned from her father is his various odd beliefs. To name a few Quibbler article titles from the beginning of OotP:

How Far Will Fudge Go to Gain Gringotts?

CORRUPTION IN THE QUIDDITCH LEAGUE: How the Tornados Are Taking Control

SIRIUS - Black As He’s Painted? Notorious Mass Murderer OR Innocent Singing Sensation?

We all know they have some odd ideas, and are both very convinced of them. Luna never strays in her belief in the things her father writes about:

Yes, he’s got an army of heliopaths,” said Luna solemnly. “No, he hasn’t,” snapped Hermione. “Yes, he has,” said Luna. “What are heliopaths?” asked Neville, looking blank. “They’re spirits of fire,” said Luna, her protuberant eyes widening so that she looked madder than ever. “Great tall flaming creatures that gallop across the ground burning everything in front of —” “They don’t exist, Neville,” said Hermione tartly. “Oh yes they do!” said Luna angrily. “I’m sorry, but where’s the proof of that?” snapped Hermione. “There are plenty of eyewitness accounts, just because you’re so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you —”

(OotP, 345)

She actually shows a dislike and anger toward Hermione at first because of how Hermione treats the things she believes in. Luna doesn't get angry often, but when her beliefs are ridiculed in the way Hermione does so, is one of these few times. She doesn't mind being called "Loony", but she cares about her, and her father's beliefs are aggressively questioned. She wouldn't have minded it if Hermione just didn't believe her (like Ron and Ginny) what bothers her is that Hermione doesn't even entertain the possibility of these creatures being real. What angers her is Hermione's closed-mindedness, not that she doesn't agree with her. Luna doesn't mind being alone in her beliefs, she minds closed-minded people who think they know everything, that's what gets her annoyed with Hermione, I think.

Now, I kind of want to discuss why Luna and Xenehpilius believe what they believe. Well, more Xenephilius than Luna, because he taught her most of it and gave her all the evidence she is basing her understanding of all these creatures and conspiracies come from.

Because that's what a lot of these are — conspiracies — and mostly about the Ministry of Magic. These article titles are somewhat like farfetched conspiracy theories like: "NASA hiding a second sun at the center of the Earth" or "Did you know the Earth is actually flat but the government doesn't want you to know" or anything to do with Area 51 and aliens. The articles from the Quibbler sound awfully a lot like that. And it seemed the main reason Xenophilius and Luna believed Harry was because the ministry didn't.

Xenophilius and Luna also believe in miracle cures like gnome venom (as quoted earlier), Gurdyroots and Plumpies:

“May I offer you all an infusion of Gurdyroots?” said Xenophilius. “We make it ourselves.” As he started to pour out the drink, which was a deep purple as beetroot juice, he added, “Luna is down beyond Bottom Bridge, she is most excited that you are here. She ought not be too long, she has caught nearly enough Plumpies to make soup for all of us. Do sit down and help yourselves to sugar.

(DS, 348)

They are essentially wizard conspiracy theorist hippies.

Basically, Xenophilius and Luna distrust the ministry (rightfully so, as the ministry sucks) but they took their distrust to the extreme. Essentially believing any information from the ministry, or ministry-sanctioned textbooks and newspapers to be false (some of it definitely is false, but not all). If it comes from the ministry it's false in their eyes and therefore everything the ministry doesn't live in is true, even if it doesn't make sense. So what I think is going on with the Lovegoods, and what they are supposed to be, is just conspiracy theorists, who rightfully distrust their government, but took this distrust too far beyond common sense. It doesn't mean all they belive is false, they are actually correct often enough, but not always.

Now, I think, as I said, they have a good reason to distrust the ministry, they just took it a bit far. I actually have a bit of a headcanon about how Xenophilius came to the conclusion that they can't trust ministry.

My headcanon is that it has to do with Pandora's death. We don't really have any indication that Xenophilius believed in everything he did before her death. Neither do we know how exactly the spell killed Pandora. I think the ministry either hid information about Pandora's condition, used some spells she created in their books without giving her credit, or the ministry never sanctioned her spells (we know the ministry does approve spells, Hermione mentions as much in HBP). I'm not sure what exactly went with the ministry, but I headcanon Xenophilius has a personal reason related to Pandora to distrust them.

Loony Luna

We know Luna gets bullied. Her belongings get stolen, other students call her "Loony". And it isn't surprising she gets bullied. children are mean to anyone who is weird and different and Hogwarts has no anti-bullying measures. Literally none, the faculty doesn't care.

What is more interesting is Luna's outlook on her own bullying. It's the same optimistic acceptance of how she treats death.

“How come you’re not at the feast?” Harry asked. “Well, I’ve lost most of my possessions,” said Luna serenely. “People take them and hide them, you know. But as it’s the last night, I really do need them back, so I’ve been putting up signs.” She gestured toward the notice board, upon which, sure enough, she had pinned a list of all her missing books and clothes, with a plea for their return. An odd feeling rose in Harry — an emotion quite different from the anger and grief that had filled him since Sirius’s death. It was a few moments before he realized that he was feeling sorry for Luna. “How come people hide your stuff?” he asked her, frowning. “Oh . . . well . . .” She shrugged. “I think they think I’m a bit odd, you know. Some people call me ‘Loony’ Lovegood, actually.” Harry looked at her and the new feeling of pity intensified rather painfully. “That’s no reason for them to take your things,” he said flatly. “D’you want help finding them?” “Oh no,” she said, smiling at him. “They’ll come back, they always do in the end. It was just that I wanted to pack tonight. Anyway . . . why aren’t you at the feast?”

(OotP, 862-863)

Other Ravenclaws steal her things and hide them, they call her "Loony" and at no point is Luna angry or scared. She is calm and serene and she declines Harry's help because she believes it will all work out. It's the same outlook on death and sadness: "Everything will be fine, just keep your chin up and believe things will be good" That just really seems to be Luna's life philosophy. She faces every problem with optimism and serenity.

Instead of being concerned over her own situation, she actually goes a step further and ask how Harry is doing. Luna goes out of her way to brighten up other people's lives and help them see the good in situations like she can. She is really sweet.

“I enjoyed the meetings too,” said Luna serenely. “It was like having friends.” This was one of those uncomfortable things Luna often said and which made Harry feel a squirming mixture of pity and embarrassment.

(HBP, 138)

“Oh, it’s been all right,” said Luna. “A bit lonely without the D.A. Ginny’s been nice, though. She stopped two boys in our Transfiguration class calling me ‘Loony’ the other day —”

(HBP, 311)

These are two more examples of Luna's being bullied. She is lonely and didn't really have friends before the D.A. But just like with her missing things, while it makes her sad, she doesn't wallow in it. She looks at the good parts. The happy memories, the fact that Ginny defends her now. Honestly, it's a healthier coping mechanism than what we see with other characters, I'll give her that.

The other interesting note is how honest she is with all of it. She always says things exactly how she believes they are. She doesn't lie or hide information from people, even for their own comfort. I think this has to do with the distrust in the ministry her father and her share.

Essentially, she was raised being told how awful the ministry is for lying to everyone and how it's horrible they hide information from the wizarding world. I think this is part of why she is so honest and straightforward. She really sees hiding information and lying as awful things to do. And, I mean, she's a Ravenclaw for a reason, she likely believes information should be accessible to know and learn, not hidden in the bawls of the ministry. It's all part of her honesty.

Luna's Empathy

Luna is one of the more empathetic characters in the books. I mentioned before how she goes out of her way to encourage and comfort others, and here are some examples I picked up:

“Are you sure you don’t want me to help you look for your stuff?” he said. “Oh no,” said Luna. “No, I think I’ll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up. . . . It always does in the end. . . . Well, have a nice holiday, Harry.” “Yeah . . . yeah, you too.” She walked away from him, and as he watched her go, he found that the terrible weight in his stomach seemed to have lessened slightly.

(OotP, 864)

Luna is the first person to make Harry feel better after Sirius' death, to tell him life goes on and actually convince him of it. She can empathize with people really weel and tell them what they need to hear.

He finally tracked her [Hermione] down as she emerged from a girls’ bathroom on the floor below. She was accompanied by Luna Lovegood, who was patting her vaguely on the back. “Oh, hello, Harry,” said Luna. “Did you know one of your eyebrows is bright yellow?” “Hi, Luna. Hermione, you left your stuff. . . .” He held out her books. “Oh yes,” said Hermione in a choked voice, taking her things and turning away quickly to hide the fact that she was wiping her eyes on her pencil case. “Thank you, Harry. Well, I’d better get going. . . .” And she hurried off, without giving Harry any time to offer words of comfort, though admittedly he could not think of any. “She’s a bit upset,” said Luna. “I thought at first it was Moaning Myrtle in there, but it turned out to be Hermione. She said something about that Ron Weasley. . . .”

(HBP, 310)

Even with Hermione, whom Luna tends to argue with most due to Hermione appearing closed-minded to Luna, when Luna hears crying her first instinct is to go help. And she actually seemed to have made Hermione feel better, she found the right things to say.

Her mention of Moaning Myrtle makes it sound like Luna knows the ghost well. My headcanon is that in Luna's first years, when she was lonely and had no friends, she sat and chatted with Myrtle, and they had a cute little lonely friendship.

“That’s right,” said Luna encouragingly, as if they were back in the Room of Requirement and this was simply spell practice for the D.A., “That’s right, Harry. . . come on think of something happy. . . .” “Something happy?” he said, his voice cracked. “We’re all still here,” she whispered, “we’re still fighting. Come on, now. . . .”

(DS, 548)

Encouraging Harry to cast a Patronus when they need one.

“I’m going to miss you, Mr. Ollivander,” said Luna, approaching the old man. “And I you, my dear,” said Ollivander, patting her on the shoulder. “You were an inexpressible comfort to me in that terrible place.”

(DH, 437)

And even comforting Ollivanders.

Luna just brings comfort to everyone she meets. Knowing what to say to make them feel better.

About her supposed seer-like abilities

As I said, I don't think Luna is a seer or anything like that. I think she's intelligent, open-minded, incredibly empathetic, has some extreme distrust in the ministry, and has an overall life philosophy of looking at the full half of the cup.

When I searched for scenes that had "extra-magical" potential I found only two:

The girl beside the window looked up. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blond hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and came to rest on Harry. She nodded. [...] The girl called Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler. She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal humans. She stared and stared at Harry, who had taken the seat opposite her and now wished he had not.

(OotP, 185)

I think this is more Luna being awkward because she never had friends more than anything. I think she is just honestly shocked and confused that Harry and Co. want to sit with her; of like, their free will, and not just to say mean things.

As much as Luna holds her head high, she is hurt by her bullies and loneliness, she just chooses to not internalize any of it and never stop to be herself. Honestly I really appreciate this aspect of Luna, I adore her ability to stay afloat.

The second scene:

He led a party of warlocks into the marquee as Luna rushed up. “Hello, Harry!” she said. “Er—my name’s Barny,” said Harry, flummoxed. “Oh, have you changed that too?” she asked brightly. “How did you know—?” “Oh, just your expression,” she said.

(DH, 123)

I don't think this is being a "seer" or anything like that. I believe this is an extension of Luna's intense empathy. She says she recognises Harry's expression. Also, she's smart and he acts around Ron the way he always does, Luna would be able to recognize it...

So, yeah, these are my thoughts about Luna.

[tapricornzzz]

silvery outlook in love forever and always

(syl belongs to the lovely and talented @sinnamonsters! please give them a follow, their art is adorable)

[cethlyarlo]

In Tandem on Opposite Tides

One

Summary: Sabine and Shin find themselves bound by the Force soon after Sabine discovers her own abilities.

Word count: 1,555

Warnings: none

Chapter: 1/2 (more to come)

*Spoilers for Ahsoka, Episode 8

Sabine's first night on Peridea was dark and overcast. The patchy cloud cover hid most of the stars, yet the moon was visible enough to cast satin bands of light across the nearly barren landscape. She would know because she couldn't rest. Her bones still vibrated from the events of the day prior, mind still alight with residual adrenaline and the strangeness that came with how open everything felt now that she'd figured out how to access the Force.

So many things had changed in such a short amount of time and she was still trying to wrap her head around it. At the end of the day though, she was still stranded on a planet in a galaxy so far away they needed an ancient, long-forgotten map to find it. She was just thankful for having Ahsoka and Huyang by her side along with the small caravan of Noti that allowed them to tag along in their seemingly endless travels.

At least Ezra got to go home. She'd completed her goal; her mission, and she knew he wouldn't leave her behind on the same planet he'd been stranded on for nearly a decade, if not more. Time felt strange and Sabine found herself struggling to remember how long it had truly been since she'd seen the person who'd been like a brother to her for so long. Eventually, she had stopped counting the days, but the urgency to find him lived on.

Regardless, she knew he'd come, but she didn't know how long it'd be before he did. She took comfort in knowing he didn't need a map to find them, though.

Feeling restless, Sabine wandered around the perimeter of their darkened camp, all lights and lanterns having long since been extinguished. The silvery moon hung brightly in the foreign sky, occasionally eclipsed by a rapidly moving cloud. She wondered if a storm was on its way. The air above was turbulent and churning while the air below was still and calm; a gentle breeze kissing her cheeks every now and then.

Despite the darkness and solitude, Sabine didn't feel alone. She could feel every life that inhabited the camp, Ahsoka's glowing brighter than the rest due to her attunement with the Force. It was such a strange feeling. While she welcomed the change, a very small part of her found it uncomfortable and strange, but she knew that discomfort would fade with training and practice. 

A smirk formed on her lips when she remembered what the dark apprentice, Shin, her name might've been, had told her: you have no power.

Well, now she did have power. She just didn't know how to control it as well as she'd hoped. Then again, it had still been less than a day since discovering how to access it, so who could blame her? 

She sighed when her thoughts turned to the young woman whose blade had pierced her side and destroyed her right kidney, and her hand reached to rub at the scar. She wondered what Shin was doing; if she'd been able to leave with Thrawn and the rest. If she hadn't made it back to the star destroyer, she would possibly be a threat Sabine and Ahsoka would need to look out for.

Then again, during their last encounter, there was something so broken and lost about her; sentiments so different from the other times they'd dueled. Despite not having discovered how to access the Force in full, Sabine could still pick up on the young woman's emotions, and they felt of pain, anger, and an intense loneliness that hadn't been there before; abandonment.

Sabine couldn't help but wonder what became of her. If Ahsoka had given her the chance, she would have chased Shin down so they could talk. She recognized the shift within the dark apprentice that had altered her outlook and disposition at least for the moment, and Sabine knew she would use that as leverage.

What she would say exactly, she had no idea. She didn't know who Shin was or what she was capable of, and yet something pulled at her chest when they were near each other. Something wanted them to be close and that inkling had been the source of her encouragement to follow after the young woman. She didn't know if Shin felt it too or if it was just a figment of delusion brought about by the lack of sleep she'd gained in the last several days. Either way, thoughts of the fair-haired mercenary seemed to burrow themselves deep into her mind.

Sabine paused in her wandering to look up at the moon, a cloud passing out from under it to once again brighten the terrain enough to allow shadows to dance in the liquid pewter hue that blanketed the world around her. The patches of foreign constellations glittered above and she frowned at the growing tightness in her chest that pushed her to reach out with her newfound ability to use the Force.

Unsure of what she was doing, Sabine allowed herself to indulge in what she thought could be the Force's guidance, trusting it just as Ahsoka had told her to. She quickly moved from her circuit around the camp's perimeter, a sudden itch in her limbs carrying her further from safety as she approached a massive boulder several hundred feet away.

That's when she felt it: a very careful tendril of… something that reached for her. It appeared in her mind's eye like threads of shimmering diaphanous silk, and the moment she went to reach for them, they vanished. Confused, Sabine turned to look back towards the direction of their camp, and relaxed when she realized she could still feel Ahsoka's life-signature glowing brightly in its midst despite the distance between them. The tug in her chest remained and she reached up to rub at it again, her palm pressing flat to the cloth of her gray flight suit, armor long since discarded in hopes of being able to sleep.

With a sigh, she glanced around for a place to sit, and settled upon a rather large stone that jutted from the ground like something trying to break free of its bindings. Clambering up its gently sloped sides, Sabine made herself comfortable where the angle of the rock began to plateau, folding her legs in a posture of meditation. The tightness seemed to wane and she used the opportunity to breathe deeply, doing her best to mimic the tactics she'd seen Ahsoka use, hoping they would help her find… balance? Inner peace? Calmness?

If she was honest with herself, Sabine didn't know what the goal of her mediation should be. Everyone was different and everyone had different ways of connecting to the Force, therefore making meditation different for everyone… right?

She winced when the coil of tension built in her chest again, and she took it as a sign to focus and follow the path it was trying to show her. Closing her eyes, she worked to calm her breathing enough to find the patience to uncoil the knot that seemed to be living within her. She reached for the bands of power that tickled her fingertips and got to work.

The thin, glimmering threads soon reappeared as a mental image, this time with more substance as they shifted between a pale silvery blue to a rich gold and back. The feeling of looking in from the outside was strange and it let Sabine know that seeing the threads themselves were not of her own making, but rather a projection of something more. As they developed and solidified further, she reached for them again, this time with more patience and a much gentler hand than before, now knowing how fragile they were to touch. 

Hands tightening around her kneecaps, Sabine focused on controlling every bit of the situation without becoming too inflexible, and the moment she reached for those glistening threads again, they vanished…

Almost.

Out of the many that had danced in her mind, only one remained, and it was wrapped around her fingers, coiling itself tighter as though cementing itself as a part of her being. It stung slightly, the twisting patterns it made around her hand noticeable as it pressed into her skin. She tried to pull away from it, but the thread only clung on with more conviction. Soon it had crawled up her wrist and arm, reaching for her shoulder and neck. In the darkened distance within her mind, the thread reached on and on, seemingly possessing an endless supply of material to encase her with. Panic soon enveloped her and she struggled against it, doing all she could to get it off, but to no avail. 

"Ahsoka!" She cried in desperation as she tried to rip the coils of silver from her arms, squirming in place as she worked. "Ahsoka, please!" 

Sabine felt her legs move, and suddenly she was weightless, the shimmering thread following her as she fell from the edge of the stone she had been sitting on. Her body instinctually braced for the impact, but her mind was caught between worlds and she didn't feel it when her limbs flattened against the rocky ground below. Her vision cleared and before she knew it, she was gazing up at the night sky once again.

________

Hey! I've got this up on AO3 (same username), but I wanted to post it here too. This'll be a multi-chapter work and more is coming soon!!!

[thecreaturecodex]

Adachros

Image © Paizo Publishing, accessed at Archives of Nethys here

[The second of two "ennosites" I'm covering from Bestiary 3. I imagine that these would be a good way to get that Planescape feel into a game, if only for a few encounters. These definitely fit into the domain of "philosophers with clubs".]

Adachros CR 13 N Outsider (extraplanar) This glimmering giant appears to be made of silvery facets, arranged into a humanoid shape.

The adachroses are beings of pure thought, each one embodying a philosophy and promoting it with megalomaniacal zeal. Some of them are created when a demiplane is partially formed and then collapses, whereas others are created when artificial demiplanes (such as those made by the create demiplane spell) are abandoned, and still others are born when multiple philosophers die simultaneously in defending their beliefs. Most of the time, an adachros’ philosophy is exaggerated to the point of self-parody, and the adachros refuses to acknowledge any perspective other than its own.

Some adachroses are tyrants, ruling over a tiny fiefdom with an iron fist and lashing out at anyone who dares to disobey their strictures. Others are somewhat more reasonable, acting as teachers of their philosophy, albeit ones who refuse to engage with any opposing viewpoints. They can be potentially manipulated by a canny outsider, one who can convince them that their outlook would be best served by doing whatever the manipulator wants. But if an adachros realizes it’s been duped, it will turn its entire fury on that creature and their allies and cause.

Most adachroses prefer to befuddle enemies with complex hallucinations before fighting them—both in order to confuse and destabilize strategies, but also because the monster can strike with deadly precision at creatures engaging with its illusions. It fights simply but effectively, crushing foes with its mighty fists and using occult magic to blast away at enemies that keep their distance. Its sense of self-purpose is so great that it can reject enchantments or illusions that clash with its beliefs. Depending on the values system it embodies, an adachros may fight to the death, or may prefer to surrender or flee if a combat goes poorly.  

Adachros               CR 13 XP 25,600 N Large outsider (extraplanar) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +25, thoughtsense 120 ft. Defense AC 28, touch 12, flat-footed 25 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +1 dodge, +16 natural) hp 178 (17d10+85) Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +12 (+16 vs. mind-influencing effects) DR 10/magic and silver; SR 24 Defensive Abilities self-absorbed, splinter sycophant Offense Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee 2 slams +22 (2d8+6) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Psychic Magic CL 13th, concentration +21 40 PE—complex hallucination (4 PE, DC 22), contagious zeal (3 PE), detect magic (1 PE), ego whip III (5 PE, DC 23), hallucinatory terrain (4 PE, DC 22), mind thrust IV (4 PE, DC 22), modify memory (5 PE, DC 23), reverse gravity (7 PE), scripted hallucination (5 PE, DC 23), unshakable zeal (6 PE) Special Attacks fatal fantasia Statistics Str 23, Dex 15, Con 21, Int 20, Wis20, Cha 26 Base Atk +17; CMB +23; CMD 36 Feats Combat Reflexes,Dodge, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Intuitive Spell, Iron Will, Power Attack, Vital Strike Skills Appraise +22,Bluff +28, Diplomacy +28,Fly +21, Intimidate +28, Knowledge (arcana, planes) +25, Perception +25, Sense Motive +25, Spellcraft +25, Stealth +15 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 100 ft. Ecology Environment any land or underground (Astral Plane) Organization solitary or college (2-6) Treasure standard Special Abilities Fatal Fantasia (Ex) Against a target that is currently effected by an adachros’ illusion or enchantment abilities, the adarchos’ natural weapons threaten a critical hit on a roll of 19-20 and deal x3 damage on a critical hit. Self-Absorbed (Ex) An adachros gains a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-influencing effects. On any round it is suffering from a mind-influencing effect, it may attempt to counteract that effect, using its caster level as an opposed caster level check against the level of the effect. If it succeeds, the effect is removed. An adachros can use this ability even if it cannot act on this turn, but can only remove a single unwanted effect per round. Splinter Sycophant (Su) When an adachros takes damage from a critical hit, an ioton is split off from its body and appears in an adjacent square. This ioton has absorbed one language that the adachros speaks, and unless given orders to do otherwise, begins to sing the praises of the adachros that created it as a standard action each turn. An adachros gains 4d6 temporary hit points when the ioton begins to flatter it, and gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, skill and ability checks so long as the praise persists. The effects of multiple such sycophants stack. An ioton creates in such a fashion vanishes into vapor 1 minute after it is created or when it is reduced to 0 hit points.

[meilas]

Phantom of the Opera Wine List

Your wine sommeliers: 

@meilas: Concept, Graphics, Layout, Project Manager, Hadley, Barbara the Mannequin

@gwalchmedi: Franc D’Ambrosio, Norm Lewis, Drew Sarich, Peter Joback, Bronson Norris Murphy, Hugh Panaro, Michael Crawford, Jonathan Roxmouth, Jeremy Stolle, Barbara the Mannequin, Ethan Freeman, Peter Karrie, Dmitry Ermak, Earl Carpenter

inspired by @mxbuster: Uwe Kroger

inspired by @petittneko: Saulo Vasconcelos, Thiago Arancam

@devilswalkingstick: Cooper and triptychs

@when-it-rains-it-snows: Ben Lewis

DocTy: Alexander Goebel

Tina: Gina Beck

@from-aldebaran: Derrick Davis and proof-reader

@therosenpants: proof-reader and taste-tester

@box5intern: Christopher Carl

This wine list could not have turned out so well without the loving dedication of everyone involved. Thank you everyone for putting up with this silly project for so long!

D’Ambrosio Vintage Vintage 1962, best run 1998 Other nicknames: Cabernet Franc; Franc D’Amn that’s good!

Slither yourself down somewhere comfortable and loosen a few buttons while you steal a taste, slowly swirling your tongue around a luscious mouthful of this full-bodied, ambrosial red. Every note stays with you while you are distracted by its elegant looks, get reeled in by a silvery touch, and feel it gliding along your throat. As you swallow, a slow leisurely piquancy reveals a muscular body and delivers a prominent, long, full finish. A total god of a wine. Keeps giving satisfaction long after you have embraced your last glassful.

Bottling notes: The reddest of red wines in the bluest of containers, and the perfect precursor to pants-less pastimes. Comes in our most prominent bottle.

Saulo Vasconcelos, vintage 1999

An epic year for Brazilian wines, this timeless choice has performed in many a fine vintage bottle. A few tastings will assure you that this wine leaves you anything but Miserable, being a bit of a beast in disguise. Delightfully playful, sensuously hands-on with its flavour, and encasing you in its warm, chocolate tones, you’ll find yourself helplessly succumbing to its embrace. A proper, stern Daddy of a wine, this is one for those who like their types mature and commanding. De Nada!

Crémant NormLew Château Tallahassee

A first for a Crémant from this region of Florida, you’ll be getting a plethora of orchard fruits here with delightful baritone notes! Up there with the finest of champagnes, just enjoy how this Crémant gives such a unique expression of its appellation.

Peter Jöback

This fiery Scandinavian grape is a notoriously difficult one to grow well, but prolific once it takes hold, which makes this lovely drop of sleek Swedish red even more impressive! The acidity has a true, tenor register, a light note that is just right for pairings with other Swedish delicacies, I'd say. Very quaffable indeed.

Drew Sarich

With a very young feel to this Veltliner grape, it actually delivers a surprise that is a decade ahead of itself. This wine has a long taste on the tongue, sitting there like a kitten purring in your lap. Delightfully complex, this is a New York socialite of a vintage with a phantasm of aromatic perfume on it which is absolutely phenomenal. It’s fascinating how the acidity is so high that it somewhat devilishly disguises the wine’s natural sweetness.

Dreamclimber from the House of Derrick Davis Two pressings, 2016-2017 and 2019-2020

An astonishingly underappreciated vintage, Dreamclimber will make you abandon your defenses from the very first sip. A potent mix of smooth deep notes of dark oak ranging upward to a soaring sunshiney sweetness, the positive energy in every bottle offers sweet intoxication and will fundamentally alter your outlook on life. The dynamic and passionate essence of Dreamclimber elevates everything around it, so if you need to restage a meal, add this bold and muscular yet soft and sensual wine to your table. Want to stay one step ahead of the crowd? Catch a Broadway-bound dream of a wine and you can say you were among the first to realize its genuine and soul-stirring star power. Dreamclimber has the uplifting soulfulness to take you and your guests to where you long to be!

Bronson Norris Murphy Variety: Babygrapes

The very youngest of our vintages, this wine has brought out excitingly different comments from our patrons. Respected Voices talk knowledgeably either about its Wheel of Flavours, or enjoy a genuine Laugh about how this rush of taste almost knocks them over; still others amongst the cognoscenti talk about its delightfully Icie youthfulness and endearing features, or how a glassful taken at bedtime would counter a Snowy cold evening. One Purist anonymously chuckled that a grape as vigorous as this could be put in more than one setting and still retain its delightful, child-like boyish charms. Two stunningly dressed patrons, in Rose and Cora(l), admitted they’d been given a taste of this wine secretly, a sort of cameo appearance before its launch, and had felt the vibes of the overt rosehip and petal flavours long before it had become popular. The pair’s general consensus was that this vintage was young enough to Make It on the scene, although the coquettish undertones about vinicultural size and handspan were elusively enticing. The Vast Glassy Orangery was agog with gossip about some Baguette-wielding youth (and their noteworthy tailoring) having hugely overdosed on the tasting previously, almost knocking their socks off with its pale beauty and fragrant scents. Their partner in crime, a clear Persephone of a beauty, was wearing delicious couture from the House of ChristineGrrl, and the effect of this duo almost matched the effect of the wine’s heady aroma on the delightfully younger crowd. Suffice to say the vintage was a resounding success and its aura of vinicultural adolescence bursting into manhood held everyone in its attractive grasp. One worth keeping.

Panaro Prosecco

The elevation that every note in this charismatic, versatile Prosecco provides ensures that the bubbles in this Panaro Prosecco are so much lighter than in the flatter and usually insipid Chagny Champagnes to which they are unfairly compared. For me, there is no contest; crystal clear delivery, in a bottle with movie star good looks, this vintage delivers a deliciously singing bouquet, with beautifully crisp notes of apple to finish.

Michael Crawford, vintage 1986

Oh yes, this most venerable of English sparkling wines has a well-rounded palate with a hint of the most delicate, sweetest of orchard fruits giving way to deeper notes of Parisian brioche, with a hint of French kisses. French, I hear you ask - but did you know that English winemakers use the same traditional method that the French use to produce Champagne?

Jonathan Roxmouth, vintage b.1987, run 2011-2012, 2019

Not an easy Chenin Blanc grape variety to like on first encounter, this South African powerhouse has a drawn-out tingle which stays on your tongue, and wanders high into your head. The yearning feel to break out in full fruit mode is hidden beneath the complex mix of earthy, graveyard depths. You may feel the emotional and smoky hint of stalk, but a flash of strength beneath its velvet glove packs a punch like no other. Rox your Sox.

The St(r)olle

The smoothest of our wines, this will simultaneously quench your thirst and leave you begging for more. In parts of America, this vintage used to be obscure, yet when you taste it, you’ll wonder why.  This wine takes a confident, sassy stroll across your palate, its taste coiling a lasso around you as rock solid as Henry Cavill’s abs. Achingly rich and smooth, sporting lush, sweet toned, deep throated berry notes tinged with vanilla, it has suave yet elemental flavors pushing out from a deep, muscular centre. One not to be trifled with.

Barbara the Mannequin, vintage 1988

Wooden and oaky, this wine is perfect for poorly-thought-out proposals. We’ve all known at least one weird, dorky guy who somehow engineered a vision of a hot chick.  This wine is that chick.  Barbara is also known for its thin, acid nature, bolstered with a dressing that feels domineering, but sadly is only a foreshadowing of a disappointingly textured mouthfeel, with little middle, and an abrupt finish.

Hadley Fraser, vintage: 2 weeks old

A light dessert wine that sometimes forgets how it is supposed to taste. It’s not its fault. Really. We just didn’t give it enough time before bottling it.

Alexander Goebel Der Goebel Veltliner - Vintage 1988

Often overlooked and replaced by the Freeman, its direct descendant, the Goebel is the true original flavour of Vienna's best vineyards, planted and cultivated by the same London vintners that originated the Crawford. Since 1988 the deep rich tones of Dunkelheit in this wine have melted the heart and palate of real connoisseurs around the globe, who also appreciate the high Skan-da-lös and Maskenball notes that follow the first taste. Best served in the Original Cast environment (especially accompanied with a side dish of Nistler and Pfeifer) to highlight its most recognizable qualities, it is also recommended in its "boot" version where its taste is sublimated by visual experience to heighten each sensation.

Peter Karrie

Vintage with a distinctive voice. A commanding flavour, this is a wine both dangerous and elegant, one a chivalrous soul would offer to another, with a heart-rending tone, and an unparalleled physicality and wealth of detail. This grape makes the wine totally in a class of its own, with a wandering taste yet, by some rare and strange alchemy, with a touch of the rock band too. A bit of The Wolf in this bottle.

Ermak Syrah

Our only Slavic wine to date. Once phans sneak a taste of Ermak, they become avid for this imposing Russian grape. Its notes are powerful and bright, dominated by scents of ripe rich raspberry, and a touch of smoke that either comes from barrels toasted over a hickory flame or all that sexy heat. The Eastern European earthy touch, common in ‘Old World’ Syrah, is always present on the back of the palate, but bright succulent flavours mingle with those of hazelnut and chocolate. The tannins swirl like Rusalki across your taste buds, as smooth and alluring as Ermak himself.

G. Beck, vintage 2010

A silken, dry, red English wine with a strong note of blackcurrant. There’s a hint of youthfulness in its complexities. A wine so lovely it will bring tears to your eyes, as the taste conjures up the image of wistfully walking through a graveyard while crying about your father. Perfect after a day of tired feet from wearing heels and heavy gala dresses for too long, and with dark chocolate… or perhaps even Marmite on toast, if you’re feeling adventurous? It has also been blessed by a certain soprano’s tuxedo cat, because why not.

Tested and reviewed by: Tina, who was definitely in a country where the legal age of drinking is 17 at the time. She immediately bought nearly the entire stock and gave it a 6 out of 5 stars rating.

Thiago Arancam, vintage 1982

A total Batata Bonita, this wine from a little-known grape has been successfully transplanted from 13,000 feet up at Insosso Opera’s vineyard to the less stratospheric Sem Sal Palco Musical’s estate. You might call it a vinho on a budget mais fácil. With an early unmasking of a distinct brasiliaro flavour, this is one wine which ought to know how to show its range of notes, but sometimes just pales into insignificance.

Earl Carpenter

A strong bold grape should produce an overbearing wine. Instead, what we have here is viniculture’s version of a smooth Movie Star. Nuanced, sensual and gentle on the palate, it has a buttery feel, although on occasion this vintage’s notes are somewhat uncertain. Building up towards a taste explosion, too much enthusiastic sampling will find you too far gone to stop at the final reveal.

BEN BEN BEN Shiraz 2011

BEN BEN BEN is most curious; the 2011 is one of just two Phantom varietals that are easily acquired, yet rarely is it recommended. Best suited to the mad friends of Dionysus, this Australian Shiraz is a magic show as run by the white tigers:  absolutely beautiful, but whose idea was this? It cannot possibly end well… No amount of familiarity with the Brilliant Original will prepare the palate for this Absolute Beast. Expect to be dragged from delicately smoky baritone lows to peppery near-tenor highs; you may feel a little wide-eyed as you study the legs and ponder what that cheekbone is doing to the mouthfeel. Swooning is fine, this glass will pick you up from the floor, it is broad shouldered and surprisingly sweet.

A word to the wise: don't finish the bottle. Pour out that last twenty minutes in memory of the rare 2018 vintage, BEN! KELLY! BEN! KELLY!, of which no complete bottles exist.

Uwe Kroger, vintage 1964, 2006

Ye little gods, here was a tone with an unsettling quirky tongue to it, cutting right through the sweet fruit; an acidity, quite at odds with its vinicultural opulence. This lick of minerality which is just a fingertip’s distance away, is a bit old hat. Been done to death. Somewhat late to the party and overdressed too. It is easier to define what it is not – that is, it is not richness, nor fleshiness, nor texture, it is just there, this odd mineral flavour bringing neither a sense of purpose nor a sense of depth, fashionably unpopular, kookier and saltier than a bag of KP nuts, changeable without letting you know where it is going. And in any case, minerals, rocks and stones have no flavour at all. In Kresowy Slavic folklore, the “flavour” of stones is caused by an invisible substance called petrichor, which, according to my Russian-Greek-English thesaurus (what? It’s the only one I’ve got! Give me a break!) is “constructed from petra (πέτρα), meaning ‘stone’, and īchōr (ἰχώρ), the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods of Russian mythology.”

Gary Mauer

Are you married to your job? Just the wine for you! With a hint of sexy Dionysian wildness in its overtones, this sexy, vastly diverting and deliciously deep flavoured wine hits up hard on the brain. A sparkling good character with a touch of flair on its first taste, under all that joie de vivre, subsequent contact may make you come unhinged in the final analysis. Touted by wine snobs as 100% clean and wholesome in taste, those of us in the know greedily drink up the wicked taste and flavour, both of which provide a powerhouse duo, giving an amazing almost Elizabethan scent to the final mouthful. Having dashing good looks, this wine has a lovely tenor to its middle notes. While fairly standard from a non-specialist standpoint, it is sprinkled with touches of genius throughout; the distant whispered scent of a bridal bouquet of roses: so romantic. All in all, a great wine with a hugely masculine edge.

Ethan Freeman

A Viennese delight, this unexpected Rosé has distinct European notes, yet a brash American aroma. Moreover, it has a singing finish on the palate. A demanding Jekyll and Hyde of a wine, the duality of the fresh flavour of Oberhaüsen strawberries combined with the descending chill of the faint ghost of basement scents have resulted in a complex type of legerdemain that can be almost felt, not just tasted. Best experienced on hot summer nights.

Cooper, vintage 2014

Far too many notes for our taste, and most of them about this wine.  Just read this review left by a customer!  (We would like to remind everyone that we card any customers who appear to be younger than 21.) “A delightful wine, positively wonderful, just the perfect stubbly lad. Anytime is Coopertime. Also sweet.”

Christopher Carl

Looks like a meme but also 100% legit like a stock image of STOIC MAN (TM) sold by Hasbro. (Wine bottle and fine horses sold separately.)

[ellorypurebloodculture]

Five sentence ficlet friday: Female Orion Black x Charlus Potter

“That’s fascinating,” Lord Charlus Potter says absently, not even having heard the original comment, as he stares over Lady Dorea Black’s shoulder.

Heiress Opal Black is laughing, gaily and freely, at something Heir Abraxas Malfoy has just said across the room, her silvery-gray eyes sparkling with delight; he knows she didn’t come into a creature inheritance, but she’s as enrapturing as any Siren or Veela.

“Pray, excuse me,” Charlus says before nodding at Dorea and then crossing the room to her cousin’s side.

“Heir Potter,” Opal greets with a curtsy and a jubilant smile on her face, “how are you on this fine day?”

“Awful,” Charlus replies with a sad mien, “for I haven’t experienced the pleasure of your company—though, if you take pity on me, I’m sure my outlook will instantly change,” offering her his hand, which she readily accepts.

[sinnamonsters]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa i did it i drew syl in a skirt and it makes me feel so happy

brigh helped her with the outfit because hes actually the biggest trans ally ever and if you say otherwise im blowing you up

thank you @sparklecarehospital for helping me open up and figure out this part of myself <3

[silveryoutlook]

Say hello to Nurse Neatoh!... though don't expect a response. It's the quiet type.

It's full name is Inca G. Neatoh (incognito) and will be the main nurse for Syl throughout Silvery Outlook!

It rarely ever speaks, and the mask doesn't emote very well, but Neatoh is a very kind and caring nurse, not that any of the patients want to be around it to find out. It's one of the (physically!) strongest staff at the hospital, and often does a lot of the heavy lifting when Rem isn't around to do it herself, so people tend to steer clear of it.

Feel free to send any questions about Neatoh through an ask, I'd love to talk about it!

[brisyl]

[cypriathus]

Here's my version of Zerachiel!

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: I briefly mention pedophilia and talk about OCD.

Zurachoniel Absevomuthi is a self-confident, honest, and patient charismatic fallen hybrid between an archangel and a choir angel with a strong fondness for young children. He’s exceptionally compassionate and wise, and often behaves in an enthusiastic and cheerful way, trying to inspire positivity within others. However, he can come off as frustratingly boisterous, gullible, naive, and even mischievous at times. Despite the betrayal of his kind and his persistent loneliness, he tries to maintain an optimistic outlook on life. He’s a workaholic with intense loyalty in his relationships and materialistic desires. Due to his pragmatic nature, he’s concerned more with matters of fact than with what could or should be. He’s tenacious and stubborn when it comes to his responsibilities and love of music, but can make brash and clumsy decisions. Whenever he feels extremely stressed out or mentally exhausted, he tries to remain calm, bubbly, and stoic. He has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), possessing an irrational fear of contamination and misplacing items. He has a need for things to be orderly and balanced, and a difficult time dealing with uncertainty. He experiences unwanted, aggressive, and horrific thoughts about sexual objects, losing control, and harming himself and others. Zurachoniel tries to think of more pleasant thoughts, follows a strict cleaning and organising routine, and often demands reassurance.

He’s a 5’ 3” (160.02 cm) ectomorph with an inverted triangular figure, sloping shoulders, a square chest, and a mediocre musculature. He has pallid skin with cut marks on his thighs and greyish-brown freckles on his face, neck, hands, and feet. He has inverted T transgender mastectomy scars and a silvery birthmark that’s shaped like a long-haired comet on his lower right abdominopelvic quadrant. Zurachoniel’s side-swept hair is a silvery-green with messy surfer vibes, and he has sunburst soft maroon-salmon pink eyes with blue tapetum lucidum. He used to have two wings that mimic the natural hues of a purple starling, but changed into a glossy black with pink sheen after his fall. He has two tattoos: a fiery gyrfalcon emerging from an old-fashioned furnace and a blue serpent coiling around a golden trumpet on his right arm.

During his time in heaven, he wore a linen alb of shimmering blue-green with slight ripples and it reached above his mid-calves. Over his alb is a golden dalmatic that had embroidered designs of hibiscus flowers, rivers, shooting comets, turtle doves, and circles of fire. He wears a cashmere red-violet skirt with white ermine trim at the bottom and gilt-brass anklets. Around his waist was a metallic purple girdle of bluish-yellow bells, red grapes, and poet’s daffodils. He originally had a simple golden halo that gleamed with bright light, but that would turn into a smoky black with sharp spikes. After Zurachoniel’s fall from grace, he wears a tight broadcloth shirt of mine shaft and a viola bowtie with diagonal marigold stripes. He dons a fuzzy wuzzy brown tuxedo and dusty grey trousers with copper rust and pirate’s gold polka dots. He also has an acapulco formal V-neck vest and gypsum rose lace-ups with metallic blue bottoms. He carries around an acoustic guitar made from Hawaiian koa wood and a golden carnyx that has a bell styled in an open-mouthed dragon’s head. His gryphon-adorned thurible is tied to his black leather belt and his carnyx has a thin, yet sturdy shoulder strap.

Zurachoniel can manipulate holy music, fragrance, bitterness, and angels, and use omni-telepathy, meta-teleportation, and psychokinesis. His omniscience is nearly perfect, but various details and topics are mentally blocked. However, he possesses absolute knowledge on moons, the musical arts, and the apocalypse of each universe. He’s a master of singing and musical instruments, using his voice to purify negativity in those who are willing to listen. His physical strength and emotional intelligence is enhanced by prayers, and he can sense the coming of death and act of dying. He can create a violent firestorm and falling comets that poison rivers and water springs. He’s able to freeze the movement of the stars, moons, and the Sun, diminishing light and causing complete darkness during day and night. He has the ability to summon crowned locusts, earthquakes, hailstorms, lightning, and thunder. He can heal people of their physical and mental scars, and damage the souls of parents for their incompetence to protect and educate their children. Zurachoniel has dominion over the earth and purifying light, and can absorb addictions, night terrors, and memory problems.

FAMILY:

Unknown

ALIASES/NICKNAMES:

Zerachiel

Acrid Wyrm

Angel of Bitterness, Fractured Childhood, and Slow Healing

FUN FACTS/EXTRA INFORMATION:

He’s questioning and transgender

As an Æylphitus, the different parts of his name have special meanings: Zurachoniel means “god has remembered” and Absevomuthi means “woodworm”.

He views door handles, empty sinks, and public toilets as sources of contamination.

He silently repeats a series of words in gibberish nonsense while doing unrelated tasks

When organising his clothing, antique items, books, and musical instruments, he always counts backwards and avoids the number 7.

During his time in Eylvhraszokjumni, he was a babysitter, an educator, and the leader of the choir angels.

He questioned the divine council on the unjust rules they impose on sinners and how some people were unfairly judged. The divine council weren’t impressed, so they orchestrated a plan to turn most of the angels against him by proclaiming that he’s a pedophile. They used fabricated evidence to strengthen their claim, so they can “justify” why he was kicked out of heaven.

His penis was surgically removed and his vagina mutilated with a ceremonial dagger, basilisk venom, and medicinal alcohol.

He dislikes to admit that he’s a fallen angel

He’s the vocalist and acoustic guitarist of Amara Lignum (“Bitter Wood” in Latin), a funky jazz band he founded.

[dustedmagazine]

Danny Paul Grody — Arc of Day (Three Lobed)

Arc of Day by Danny Paul Grody

Danny Paul Grody got his start in Tarentel and the Drift, both abstract post-rock bands out of San Francisco who leaned towards the quieter end of the guitar rock experiment. Just over a decade ago, he ventured out on his own in The Fountain, a gorgeous, mostly solo guitar album that found serenity in repeated picked patterns and subtle threads of melody. Since then, he’s made a half dozen albums under his own name, showcasing a self-taught facility with finger-picked styles and an expansive open-minded outlook that seeks the boundaries of blues, jazz, folk and drone.

Arc of Day starts with Grody on his own, but slowly adds other textures—drums and bass from his mates in the Drift, Rich and Trevor Montgomery, an especially haunting clarinet from Jonathan Sielaff of Golden Retriever and, on one track, Chuck Johnson on pedal steel.  

He begins on acoustic 12-string in “Daybreak” a serene and introspective reverie in simple, octave-jumping figures, repeated like clockwork and surrounded with shivering clouds of overtone. “Light Blooms” brings in his collaborators, adding a faint touch of electric distortion and a whisper of shaken maracas to his mandala-like guitar motifs. Grody sets the piece in motion, executing the same rhythmic figure again and again, keeping it going (and also very still) through changes in mood and key. We hear the clarinet for the first time in this second cut. It cuts through with pensive clarity and, at one point, frays into a vibrato, the held note unfurling like a pennant in strong wind.

One more player—the natural world—joins in “California Angelica.” We drift into the piece on a roar of surf, a little foghorn tucked into it. “Cathedral Tree” adds the unmistakable silvery sheen of Chuck Johnson’s axe to one of the disc’s most rock-like entries. “Slow Walk” electrifies Grody’s patient picking, adding a buzz and heft of dissonance to its limpid surfaces. The disc isn’t long, but it builds its own calm, centered world. It quiets the noise and pulls you in. Beautiful.  

Jennifer Kelly