#subsistence farming... the worst of All hells

[damnation-if]

I don’t know if anyones asked about them yet but what can you tell us about the monks some MCs were born into if that isn’t big spoiler info & if it is what about just monks in general I’m guessing they’re not the Punches You, Punches You kind

the monastic community that some mcs can choose as an origin is indeed not a d&d monk class type monastic community; not to say that those kinds of people don't exist in Damnation's world or anything but just purely from a practical perspective it seemed fairer not to give one of the origins a distinct advantage in something like self-defence. then again it's not like fighting is really going to be a Huge factor but it still seemed best to keep everyone's mcs on a roughly even starting playing field.

the monastic community that mc grew up in is more in the "religious scholar" kind of vein, with lots of strict customs designed to help the people who live there achieve a higher level of spiritual enlightenment. in particular, the monastery where the mc grew up was dedicated to an extremely strict lawful good deity of agriculture and industry who demands high levels of diligence and conscientiousness from his followers.

mostly what they did was tending crops and other plants, working various farming machines and making lots of things like clothing and household items that they didn't get to keep but gave away to others in between prayers and scripture readings. there wasn't a whole lot of time pencilled in anybody's schedules for fun or relaxation... their god would have disapproved lmao.

i hope this helps answer your question!

[the-technicolor-whiscash]

u reblogged something that would suggest ur anti-vegan. If that’s the case (I could be wrong), its always beyond me to see someone from an oppressed group, who claims to understand oppression, advocate for the oppression of another group

Ahskshsk wow. Yeah I’m not gonna lie I’m anti-vegan if they’re like you busting into peoples inboxes trying to tell them how to think. It’s a diet. That’s what it is. It’s not some kind of moral imperative.

First of all, not everyone can be vegan. There are some people who, healthwise, have to eat meat because they can’t get the same necessary nutrients from plant products. And there’s plenty of people who cannot take on the financial burden that veganism requires.

Second of all, it’s no more ethical than someone eating meat. In fact, I’d argue that eating locally-produced meats or meat harvested by oneself is more ethical than veganism, because you know where and who it came from and no humans had to experience child labor for your quinoa or agave. And there are ethical butchers who slaughter animals in ways that the animal will not even know death is coming - this is particularly true of Kosher or Halal butchers. Though I have no doubt if you’re sending me this message, you’re probably bought into the antisemitic and islamaphobic rumors that PETA spreads.

Obviously there’s value in knowing where your food comes from. Getting your meat from a local butcher instead of from a factory farm is better both for the animals and for the environment, because it doesn’t have to travel as long of a distance. Buying local in-season produce is also better for the environment, and you get to support local farming which is always important.

You picked probably the worst person to try and argue with about this because I am never going to be on your side. Hell, I support indigenous whaling (even as a huge fan of whales) because I know that getting fresh meat on reservations, particularly in the arctic circle, is prohibitively expensive. I’m also cool with pretty much any other subsistence hunting esp cause with a lack of natural predators, deer populations left unchecked can do damage to the ecosystem.

I am always going to put people first. You say I claim to understand oppression. I assume that’s a jab at the fact I’m trans and bi which, really cool to do that by the way, definitely nothing could be seen as having negative connotations there. I don’t claim to understand oppression beyond that which I’ve experienced myself, but what I do have is a respect for the people who are oppressed. Though I as a white person will never truly understand the oppression indigenous groups face having never had to go through it myself, I can give them respect and support. I respect and support indigenous people who participate in subsistence whaling, because I’m aware of the fact it’s a cultural practice that has been oppressed by white colonizers. Human rights should always always always be put before animal rights. I’ve literally written papers about the negative effects of white vegans on indigenous peoples because I have a minor in anthropology and have made it a point to learn about and respect indigenous groups because of the impact white colonizers (and yes, even other anthropologists - I know it’s a field with a bad history) have had on them. I should note, I don’t claim to speak for these indigenous groups, because I as a white person obviously cannot. If any of you are indigenous and I’ve said something incorrect or offensive, please let me know and I will correct it.

Anyway sorry this got long but yeah. Yeah, I’m always gonna be on the side of people on this one. Eat meat or don’t, I don’t care, but don’t treat it like it’s a moral failing of people to choose to consume animal products. I have a lot more opinions on the matter I could say but I’m gonna stop now because if you’re sending this into my inbox, I doubt you’ve read this long.

[slashertalks]

some vampire meta shit, and the theoretical societal balances which must be, and often are, struck within narratives depicting a carnivorous pseudo-human species (or, some thoughts about Daybreakers)

So it may not be well known here, but it’s a pretty obvious fact on my blog dailyhudson that I love the movies Near Dark and The Lost Boys. I’ve always been interested in the mythology of vampires, especially the scientific facts behind their origins, and I think the varying structures of vampiric societies within film narratives can be very interesting. So, that’s what I’m going to discuss here. I’m not sure how long this piece is going to be, but we’ll see as we go along.

I’m going to start with a little dissection of varying vampiric traits. Picture a vampire; I’m guessing the image your mind conjured up had fangs and drinks blood. Yeah, just fangs and blood— that’s all I can give you, because vampiric traits are so wildly different that at this point, there’s really no comprehensive list of universal features. Not even fangs are universal; in Near Dark, none of the vampires are shown to have them. However, there are recurring traits. Fangs are the most wide one, but there are also: altered eyes (commonly red or gold); pointed ears; bat-like feet or noses; the ability to shift their appearance between something human and more monstrous; flight; shapeshifting; a member of the undead. Why is “a member of the undead” not universal? Ignore the fact that I’m about to call upon Twilight, but it is a vampire narrative; within the plot, Bella gives birth to Edward’s baby and is turned in the process— the child is born a vampire, and therefore I don’t technically qualify it as “undead.” Alongside that, within the majority of narratives it is not a corpse which is reanimated, but a human that is turned. Vampirism is simply another state of being alive, though it can be used to prevent imminent death. Vampirism being conflated with death, in this meta discussion of morality and societal structures, would likely originate from a fear of what’s more powerful, more animalistic than ourselves (humans); how often do we think of ourselves as predators, when stronger creatures exist? To become a vampire is to lose your humanity but to gain the characteristics of what I will refer to as a “true predator,” not unlike a lion. Whether or not our actual humanity, our empathy, is lost varies on the narrative in question, and even then is questionable at best, considering the point of view of the narrative is nearly always a human one.

Now, what spurred this on was my viewing of the movie Daybreakers: an apocalyptic, near-starvation look at an imbalanced vampiric society— essentially, a worst-case scenario. Turning to both the Lost Boys and Near Dark, in these narratives we are shown two small groups of vampires coexisting in a world where they are unrecognized by humans (except in very rare cases, like that of Grandpa and the Frog Brothers). This is the ideal vampiric society, and one seemingly acknowledged by elder vampires; Max keeps a tight reign on the boys, only permitting David to turn a human when the human is approved. Jesse is angry with Mae for having turned a human without consulting them first. There is an understood need to keep the vampire population small, and to train them: Caleb is supposed to learn how to be a vampire, how to avoid attracting attention, how to recognize where and who to target. Even when they kill the bar patrons, the bar itself is mostly empty; a stark contrast to scenes like Daybreakers’ human farms or the blood rave in Blade. Even in the Forsaken, where the vampires are especially predatory and violent, they target very few people: our specific main characters and a small party of frat boys.

Within these narratives, there is an understood balance between vampires and humans. Not unlike any predator and prey; if prey cannot subsist, neither can predators. Vampires are an especially delicate predator, in that even if they can live off of animal blood, it is often not nutritionally fulfilling, leaving them weak and acting only as a bandaid until human blood can be obtained. Particularly within Near Dark, there is also a clan mentality: a desire to protect and safeguard your sired family; while Homer sired Mae, it’s easy to assume Diamondback and Severen were both sired by Jesse (who sired Homer is unclear). They are loyal to each other, a metaphorical pack of wolves; even Mae, who is turned back human (though that scenario raises questions of consent, since she never expresses a desire to be human and is, in fact, fearful when she awakens), is torn between staying with her family and defending the man she loves and had sired. The basis of a sustainable vampiric society would, as evidenced by Near Dark and The Lost Boys, require vampires to live as small, nomadic clans, keeping a tight control on the size of their groups and even killing off those who cannot successfully make the transition (whether because of fear, like Caleb, or because they cannot control themselves and feed without abandon, risking exposure). It’s also notable that there’s at least one older “alpha” within each clan; Jesse and Diamondback in Near Dark (though Severen is stated by both Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein to be older than Diamondback, his personality is naturally more immature and so he defers to Diamondback without issue), and Max in The Lost Boys. An older vampire within these clans would also be key to continued clan subsistence; until the younger vampires understand the need to maintain small, manageable groups and can go off on their own, the “alpha” vampire is there to guide them through vampiric adolescence.

What about Daybreakers, then? Even in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the high vampiric population is an explicitly-stated anomaly; Sunnydale is the location of the entrance to hell, naturally attracting supernatural beings— as such, we can assume within the rest of the world vampires exists either solitarily or within small familial groups (like Spike, Angel, and Drusilla did). Daybreakers is interesting to consider, since the transmission of vampirism is... unclear. It did start as a disease, considering the search for a cure, but based on the societal structures implemented in previous examples, one can assume that the disease struck out of the blue and spread quickly. Yet, at the same time, it can be transmitted via a bite. So, how did it start? Who was patient zero? The global nature of the disease and disregard for traditional vampiric societal structures put forth by previous narratives would suggest to me that there were millions of youthful vampires at once with no mentors to learn from. Even in the terrible Lost Boys sequel, the oldest vampire is (likely; that film is nonsense and I’m not going to dig too deep into it) thousands of years older than any other vampire. Even mad with power, the alpha is explicitly against the idea of turning all the humans at DJ X’s (another vampire’s) raves; he understands that too many vampires will lead to starvation and extinction. Following this logic, there can be no alpha vampire within the narrative world of Daybreakers; there’s nobody to pass along life lessons to the young vampires, nobody to teach them to keep their familial packs small and their destruction to a minimum.

What, then, is the morality of vampires hunting humans in Daybreakers? Clearly there’s a dichotomy between non-sapient predators and vampires: lions and wolves do not have the ability to reason, they act on instinct and drive alone. Vampires have the ability to reason, have some sense of morality, as do humans; therefore, it’s unfair to strike a “true predator”/“true prey” dichotomy. What about the fact that the vampiric society is facing starvation, then? What about humankind’s status as an endangered species? There’s no fair settlement between humankind and vampires within Daybreakers’ universe; human societal structures built around individualism and capitalism cannot make the transition to vampirism. Extinction is a guarantee without an alpha to lead the pack, so in a world where the vampiric agent was spontaneous and widespread, as is implied by Daybreakers, there was no other option for vampiric society.

I found Daybreakers interesting but unsatisfying. I’ve briefly touched on the attraction of vampirism from a specifically queer point of view, but I think that’s an important consideration. Growing up without knowing yourself, losing your childhood, losing members of your family because they can’t accept you, and having to rebuild your life in a society where you don’t know who you can trust... it’s a deeply disheartening way to come into yourself as a young adult. The vampiric societies depicted within films like Near Dark and the Lost Boys, where the vampires are fiercely loyal to one another, and in the case of the Lost Boys near-flirtatious with each other, are very attractive. The thought of a family you can’t lose, drawn to each other by attraction and bound by immortality; no fear of losing the most important people in your life to suicide or violence— I’ve often joked that only straight people turn down vampirism within films, but is that joke really that far off? Michael in the Lost Boys struggles with accepting the attraction the boys have for him, fleeing to the comforting heterosexuality of a relationship with Star rather than confront any potential queerness. Mae is completely comfortable in her skin, but Caleb can’t accept her identity as a vampire, and fears the implications that has for him (what does it say if he’s dating a bi woman?). Louis in Interview With The Vampire slowly learns to accept himself, but not without struggles and denial (a true statement of many “coming out” narratives). These parallels come easy to vampiric stories, and combined with the attractiveness of vampirism to a group who struggle with acceptance and often rely on found family rather than blood relatives (and what if your found family could become your blood family through vampirism?), it would be a disservice to leave this out of the discussion.

My dissatisfaction with Daybreakers originates, I think, from its overt heterosexuality. There’s a lack of nuance to the narrative, an almost propaganda-like ignorance towards the point of view of an equally sapient species. Take this with the smallest grain of salt, considering the queer parallels with vampirism are generally unintentional, but how often has the “h*mosexuals are destroying good christian families” argument been used? How often have people said that if society accepts gayness there won’t be any straight people left? Not that I’m particularly sympathetic towards this corrupt vampiric society, nor the majority of the vampiric characters, but in light of the connections I’ve drawn between queerness and vampiric stories the saving grace being “they gave up vampirism and turned back human” is... tiring (you can pray the gay away, after all). The statement above, and the statement that Daybreakers’ vampiric society is corrupt and unsustainable, can mutually coexist. After all, Blade is a vampire who essentially serves as population control against a corrupt vampiric society— good vampires and corrupt vampires are also not mutually exclusive, as Daybreakers would indicate (the character Frankie can’t stop himself from feeding on a human as soon as there’s not a crossbow in his face).

Perhaps I’m digging into this a little too deep— perhaps there’s nothing beneath the surface of these narratives, but I’m loathe to believe that. After all, I’m here running this blog because there’s very often a deeper layer to horror narratives, a breaking-down of norms unattainable with other genres. For example, while it wasn’t a fantastic film, Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker did depict a gay man who was a sympathetic character and a caring basketball coach who worried about his students, was realistic about the challenges of homophobia, but still did what he could to look out for the main character when things began to go off the wall. It’s not so unreasonable, then, to say that many vampire narratives (intentional or otherwise) are steeped in queerness and the antithesis to upper-middle class, white, heterosexual familial values— a found family of misfits, loyal and protective of each other, which Good Heteros can do nothing against? How terrifying! This is why I feel so apathetic towards Daybreakers: where it could have explored and played against structures the way many horror films do, it slotted itself right into the mold of “normal” (read: white, able-bodied, cishet, middle+ class) people = good, Others = bad, and the hottest take the movie had was “maybe unchecked capitalism is Not Great.” Which, duh, of course unchecked capitalism is bad, but that’s a subject for another day and a different blog. The difference between the other vampire narratives I talked about and Daybreakers is the difference between good barbecue and the McRib; between real blood and a substitute: it’s edible, but something important is lacking.

[lionesskate]

Kinava

Origins: The island kingdom of Kinava was born from tragedy, the only high ground of a terrible flood that swept across the valley and gave rise to the shadowland known as The Black Lake. Even from the start the prospect of travelling the lake was fraught with danger, boats capsized with unseen hands and struggling swimmers dragged down into watery graves. Eventually even the island itself became unsafe as hungry ghosts emerged from the lake at night, their resources were limited and they were surrounded on all sides by treacherous ghost infested waters. While this was going on a young widow named Yun escaped from the horror into a romance that only took place in her dreams, at first she assumed that this was the ideal partner she had envisioned for herself but as time went on the dreams became more instructive. One night she put her lover’s words to the test with a leap of faith, she dressed in what finery she had been able to take from her home when the flood struck and in the dead of night stole one of the last remaining boats to row out onto the cursed lake. The next morning she swept down upon the back of a giant swan clad in armour of ivory and wielding a sword of silver, the survivors hearts swelled with hope as they looked upon her as she explained there were more swans out on the lake but they would accept only the brave and the fair. The founding of the Order of Swan Knights made Yun the natural choice for leader of this new kingdom but she never forgot her loyalty to the lover of her dreams who told her what she needed to know to forge the original pact, in her twilight years she would abdicate her throne to finally be with the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears. Culture: Most Kinavans live out a rather bleak existence of subsistence farming and occasionally being conscripted to fend off attacks. They are nevertheless dreamers who place a great deal of value on physical beauty, both genders wear their hair long and enjoy adornments. They make crude dyes from local plant life to bring colour where they can. Despite their fascination with far off lands very few of its people ever leave the island and an entire culture of second hand stories knits together this loose collection of agricultural communities. Someone who served as a retainer on campaign might comfortably acquire a role as a village storyteller when they return home. Unfortunately, while in theory anyone can bond with a great swan and become a Swan Knight in practice the peasant who becomes a lord is very rare. The nature of Kinavas system of government means there is lot of potential for abuse of power and very little ability to report. Spirituality and the Afterlife: With its strong connections to the Lover Clad it's not really a question of if Kinava is corrupted by her but to what extent. Almost every noble family has a relative or ancestor who went to the fortress of Red Ice and speaks highly of their hosts magnanimity and beauty. She has certainly taught the Kinavan nobles that it’s acceptable to enjoy the finer things in life and enjoy their hard earned prestige. Differences in class are seen in matters of ancestor worship, a well-to do family is expected to keep a shrine and consult the wisdom of generations past. A poor family that maintains such a shrine will at best be mocked and at worst accused of making burnt offerings that weren’t really theirs to offer in the first place. The one advantage that peasant ghosts have is that many of them choose Lethe meaning that their service to the nobility in death will likely be as a valet or handmaiden which could be quite the promotion or an everlasting hell with an insufferable master. Cuisine: Kinavans peasants eat very little meat and are restricted to farmed meats such as pork, beef, and mutton while game meats such as venison, are restricted to the nobility by law. Finally swan meat can only be served by the Queen (the Lover Clad also takes the opportunity to serve it when knights visits. Wine is very dear to Kinavans a hardy species of grape vine was gifted to Queen Yun all those centuries ago and has subsequently spread all across the island growing clutches of blood red grapes in the summer months. Economics: After their oaths of loyalty to the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears the Swan Knights are free to pursue whatever cause they deem virtuous, this often sees Kinava lending military support to other northern nations who generally welcome the addition of flying cavalry. These arrangements are generally for a reasonable share of whatever treasury the enemy has. Though they have no Exalts a Swan Knight will typically leap at the chance to obtain an artifact for a chance to earn the favour of their mistress. Festival Days: Harvest’s End: On the last day of harvest the peasants are allowed to relax, in more austere regions it is simply a day of rest but closer to the capital there are day carnivals with food and musicians. This is often the only time when the lord (or a proxy representing her) walks among them. Military: The Black Lake that once threatened to destroy Kinava now makes it virtually unassailable to most who would try to attack it requiring specialist watercraft to have any hope of crossing safely or a similar pact with the great swans. Swan Knights themselves are divided into two distinct classes, the knights themselves and then unproven Cygnini who have made the bond with one of the great swans but have yet to be promoted to the full rank of knight. Most of them serve a knight as a squire but others serve the crown directly banding together in groups to perform tasks that nobody else will. Upon becoming a full knight they are awarded with lands and a title in exchange for being called to military service at the behest of the queen or the Lover Clad. Some of course give up their lands and their obligations to them in the name of adventure but these knights would still return home if they knew Kinava needed them. This makes it very difficult to measure the effective military strength of the nation. The Queen of Kinava must always be a Swan Knight herself and is often enhanced in some way by the Lover Clad’s patronage typically gifted with a potent artifact though some in the past were initiated into sorcery and became rather powerful in their own right.

[kuriquinn]

Telanadas [4/19]

Cover Page & Disclaimer

first chapter

The storm continues through the night and into the morning, persisting long after dawn’s first light. The members of the outfit sit in silence, distractedly playing cards or dice as they wait for the sharp wind to subside and the sun to pierce the constant cover of clouds.

When the blowing snow and ice subsist, but still does not give way to light, Kakashi ventures from the cave to scout their surroundings. His magic affords him the ability to transform into a creature more inclined toward frigid temperatures, and with senses more useful than a human’s.

“Too bad he can’t cast that on us,” Naruto grumbles. “I wish I had a fur coat right now…”

“With our luck, we would end up stuck as forest creatures with him forgetting to undo the spell,” Sasuke points out.

“I guess…”

“Don’t be so critical. Kakashi’s a talented mage,” Sakura says loyally. Off their unimpressed expressions, she goes on to admit, “When he’s not getting distracted by every old lady or black cat crossing the street.”

While waiting for the mage to return, the three of them continue their game of Wicked Grace, though it is only out of habit. For whatever reason, when the three of them play, the game always ends up in a three-way deadlock. Sakura and Sasuke are equals in strategy and Naruto appears to have the luck of the gods; Sasuke would accuse him of cheating if it were not for the fact the other man cannot lie to save his life.

A shadow lurks in the entrance of the cave, and they all glance up at the giant bear that looms over them. The beast gives a deliberate shake of its shoulders, knocking thick deposits of snow off, and then begins to shift. A moment later, Kakashi stands there, appearing mildly disgruntled.

 “The way is somewhat clear,” he tells them. “It is not the best condition. There are snow drifts everywhere, and the wind is still like a knife. But we will be able to see more than a few feet in front of us.”

“Oh, great. So, if we’re about to go over a cliff, we’ll at least be able to see the way down,” Naruto complains.

“No sign of any temple, though, cursed or otherwise,” Kakashi continues. “It will be just our luck if we end up having the climb the whole mountain before we reach it.”

“This Kaguya person is more trouble than she is worth,” Sasuke mutters.

“Well, the legend does say the temple is at the very top of this peak,” Sakura says with a shrug. “The odds of us finding it soon are a fool’s hope.”

They make quick work of packing the rest of their gear before bundling themselves once more against the cold. Kakashi bewitches several small stones to emit a comfortable warmth, setting them into their gloves and boots, and then they are off.

Just as the day before, wind slashes at them like a Suna raiding party, coming from every direction and without warning. Luckily, it is not laden with snow or ice anymore, or they would be blinded. Still, the whites of Sasuke’s eyes freeze if he opens his lids beyond a squint.

Kakashi was not joking about the snowdrifts, either. They are high and unyielding, forcing them all into an ungainly march that has Sasuke’s calves and thighs burning at the repetitive movement.

The shortest of their party, Sakura has the worst of it, though she does her best to soldier on. Despite her efforts, she slows them down even just following behind the taller men. Deciding they will be stuck out in the cold that much longer if they wait for her, Sasuke grabs her pack and tosses it to Naruto. Before the man can question it, Sasuke then orders Sakura to clamber onto his back.

“What?!” she demands, face red in a manner that is more embarrassment than the assault of cold on her cheeks. “N-no, I’m fine, I can manage—”

“You will manage to get left behind and lost,” he informs her gruffly. “Gird your pride for another day. When we are in Iwa drinking your dwarven liquor. For today, I want to get out of this weather.”

“He does have a point, Sakura, even if he is being remarkably blunt about it,” Kakashi agrees. “At least endure it until we get to more steady ground. The higher we get, the more solid the ground will be.”

She spares another half a second in consideration, before nodding, and clambering up on Sasuke’s back. As she settles into place, she does not notice the way Kakashi’s eyes crinkle or the outline of his mouth beneath his mask. Sasuke does, and knows the older man is smirking at him, but ignores it.

“Just do not fall off or choke me,” he informs Sakura as they continue onward.

“Right,” she says, sounding a little breathless. “Are you sure I’m not too heavy for you? I could get Naruto to—”

“It is fine,” he cuts her off, hefting her once to get a better grip under her thighs. It does not escape his attention that this is the closest they have ever been, or the most they have touched since they met. Or that the weight of her against his back is more comfortable than he would have thought.

“Hey, asshole, don’t you dare try anything funny,” Naruto calls back to him, scowling at Sasuke in annoyance. He is ridiculously overprotective of his fellow Warden, and while it is easy to ignore most of the time, right now it is a little more difficult than usual.

Especially with the growing warmth of her body so close to his.

Teeth gritted, Sasuke sets off forward, stalking past the other two until they hurry to catch up.

The rest of the journey is thankfully silent. Sasuke is so focussed on the weather and not dropping his charge that need not dwell on troublesome notions.

It may be an hour, perhaps more, when they finally experience a break.

The wind dies down, and the sun pierces through the cloud cover, illuminating their path in front of them. Even better, the snow is more stable now, and there is no longer any danger of becoming mired waist-deep in it.

“You can let me down now,” Sakura says quietly in his ear. Sasuke disguises his shiver by immediately relinquishing his hold on her, allowing her to drop gracefully to her feet. “Let me know if I can return the favour sometime.”

“I doubt there will ever be an occasion where you need to carry me,” he says stiffly.

Something like hurt flashes across her face at this, which bothers him, because he was not intending to be insulting. He simply cannot fathom a situation where he would be injured or unconscious to such an extent that he could not soldier through it.

Before he can tell her so, there’s a shout from Naruto. “Look!”

They both glance up. It takes a moment, and then they see it: village in the distance.

“Yes!” Naruto punches his fist in the air. “We can finally get out of this frozen hell and get a homecooked meal! And maybe even sleep in an actual bed!”

Sasuke privately thinks the village will not have much of either. The pathetic collection of hovels is overshadowed by trees and rock outcroppings, so that even as the afternoon sunlight shines, the village remains shrouded in night.

“I can barely believe it,” Sakura says, wandering away from Sasuke, their minor interchange apparently forgotten. “What sort of people would choose to settle up here?”

“Ask Sasuke,” Naruto sniggers. “It probably looks like paradise for him.”

“As long as you are not present, it could be,” Sasuke replies, but his distraction takes the tartness out of his reply. The village exudes an aura of foreboding he has only experienced once. When he was a child, he and Itachi stumbled onto the ruins of an elven temple. The stench of death and darkness hung there like the air of a crypt, and it is the same feeling he gets from this village.

Still, there is no point or purpose to turning around now. With their quest demanding they search this place, and without any other possibility of shelter for miles, this damned hamlet is their only terminus.

The approach is silent and grim, and Sasuke can sense his comrades anxiety. Everyone seems ready to spring at a moment’s notice. Every step closer to the village, the atmosphere of wrongness increases.

It is not improved as they wander past the first eerie, shabby houses. Trees that appear more dead than alive sprout haphazardly out of the snowy paths. In the distance, a small dock floats with one lone boat moored on a lake that has likely never unfrozen. More of the miserable houses, shacks of mismatched wood, dot the slope up the mountainside. Abandoned wagons and farm gear litter the frozen, winding paths.

But the most disconcerting thing about this whole place is the utter silence that reigns. Sasuke can hear no people, nor animals. It is as if the very whisper of the wind through the trees is missing in this place.

The hair on the back of his neck stands on end.

They have not gone far when they are suddenly joined by another presence. As if appearing by magic, a leather-faced, hollow-eyed man in tattered armour appears.

“What are you doing in Rōran?” he demands.

He addresses Naruto, barely taking notice of the other three behind him; it is a human quirk Sasuke knows well. People immediately assume that Naruto is the leader of their outfit because he is both a human and a warrior. Sasuke’s ears and Sakura’s small build, as well as Kakashi’s staff, cause humans to view them as no more than second-class.

It is a fiction Sakura encourages, if only because of the use in enemies misjudging which of their group presents the most danger.

“There’s nothing for you here,” the sentry insists.

“How do you know that?” Naruto challenges cheerfully. “I could be a merchant with many useful items and wares that people here would benefit from.”

The guard is not impressed. “You haven’t got a cart. And you all look like you’re starving, not selling.”

“Never mind that,” Kakashi interrupts. “We have business here.”

“No, you don’t. I’d’ve been informed if anyone was expecting…” his eyes rove over them judgementally, “visitors.”

“We’re looking for information,” Sakura pipes up, “and once we have it, we can be on our way.”

“Hmph. Perhaps Revered Father Mukade will know of what you seek. Unfortunately, he’s ministering to the villagers now and can’t be disturbed.”

“Then why mention him?” Sasuke mutters under his breath.

It is clear the man does not intend to tell them anything useful, even if he were privy to it. The group tacitly agree not to mention their actual quest, and Sakura instead suggests, “Maybe you can offer us some answers then.”

“Ask and be on your way.”

“Is there anyone else who might know the goings on in the area? An elder, or even a barkeep?”

“We’ve neither.”

“Do you know where the next nearest settlement is then?”

“No.”

Sakura does not exactly frown, but her mouth firms a little. Her eyes flit to Sasuke, and her head makes an incremental move to one side that suggests there is no point to continuing this.

“Can you point us in the direction of somewhere to gather provisions, then?” Kakashi asks. “If we can resupply and rest for a spell, we can be out of here as soon as possible.”

The guard gives him a sour look, clearly wanting to deny him, but thinks better on it.

“There’s a general supply store up the ways,” he tells them grudgingly. “Won’t be much there, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Thanks,” Sakura says, plastering a false smile on her face and prodding a scowling Naruto ahead of her.

The sentry watches them as they head in the direction he indicated, and even when he is far behind them, Sasuke continues to feel his eyes.

“Anyone else feel the cold, icy fingers of dread up their spine?” Naruto asks under his breath. “That guy was disturbing.”

“That is not the only thing that worries me,” Kakashi agrees quietly. “I have never heard of a Revered Father within the Chantry hierarchy.

“And where are all the people?” Sakura adds. “They can’t all be asleep or out working, can they? You’d the think there’d be women and children about.”

As they enter the village proper, Sasuke moves closer to Sakura, angling slightly downward to murmur, “You have no intention of just getting supplies, do you?”

“No,” she agrees. “But they say it’s better to ask forgiveness than permission. Is he still watching us?”

“Hm.”

“I will deal with this,” Kakashi replies, and covertly flicks his fingers. A wispy green cloud flickers in the surrounding air, and then dissipates before it truly takes form. “I can have this swarm lead him on a bit of a chase while we look around.”

But it turns out there is not much to see.

Though they pass many houses, more than they expected at first glance, they all appear empty. Once Naruto tries to catch a peek through the dirty, frost-covered windows, but the spying yields nothing.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

Everyone jumps as—in the same manner as the lone sentry—a skinny, wan child appears, like the sentry, as if out of nowhere.

“Why are you here?” he presses.

Sakura moves forward, offering the boy a kind smile. “We’re just travellers passing through.”

“Why would you travel here?” he asks bluntly. “Lowlanders don’t belong here.”

“We can really, really see that,” Naruto murmurs to himself.

“I remember some Lowlanders like you,” the boy goes on, unaware or uncaring. “They left…I think. I never saw them again.” Sasuke and Kakashi exchange significant looks. “I doubt I’ll see you again.”

He walks away without warning, singing softly to himself in an unnerving monotone.

“All in favour of getting the hell out of here?” Naruto suggests.

“Not yet,” Sakura says and nods to something up ahead: the supply store of which the sentry spoke. “If there’s a merchant of some sort there, I bet he’ll know something.”

The store itself is homely, but surprisingly, the sallow-skinned shopkeeper is a little more forthcoming than his fellow villagers.

“You’re not from Rōran,” he says, tone more surprised than unkind.

“Everyone says that as if we are not aware of that fact,” Kakashi remarks mildly.

“Well we…we don’t get many visitors,” the man says, honest enough, but he sounds nervous.

“This place is so remote,” Sakura agrees. “Can you tell us about it?”

The man shrugs noncommittally. “How would you describe the place you only know as home?”

Something is not right in here, Sasuke decides, studying the barren walls of the store. There is a familiar tang in the air that should not be in a merchant’s abode.

“I can think of a few words about mine,” Naruto snorts.

“We need to resupply,” Kakashi says. “Basic rations, healing kits, blankets…”

“I don’t have much, but I suppose you can take a look,” the man says, as if it’s not his business to see to the needs of customers.

The falseness of the entire thing begins to grate on Sasuke, and while Sakura starts to barter with the man, he wanders around the room. As he explores farther away from the counter, the sharp smell in the air becomes more pronounced. It appears to be coming from a door to the back of the store.

Sasuke frowns and moves forward.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” the shopkeeper snaps. “That’s private!”

“I smell blood,” he replies. That is all it takes for the sallow-faced man to give a sudden unholy shriek and throw himself over the counter at Sakura.

The move is so surprising, she does not react until he has knocked her to the ground, throwing her elbows back to catch herself. He is already pulling something from his belt, a dagger gleaming in the dim light of the store.

“Sakura, watch out!”

Comments and concrit are much appreciated, and very motivating! For information about supporting my original, non-fandom related works, you’re welcome to check out my ko-fi tip jar, or my patreon page. 

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Next Chapter

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Clash Royale Hack & Cheats For Gems, Gold And Elixir

Characteristics Delivered By The Clash Royale Hack Strategy

Welcome to Clash Royale, all of us from beta are terrified to meet you in the Polybotria cervina! I am The Rum Ham, I run a Clash Royale stream on Twitch and one of the most common questions fielded is "How should I spend my gems?". I put together this quick guide for new players unchanging what would be the most giant way for them to convert Gems into more maldive islands and wins! Silver Chest (3 hours, 18 Gem Timer): Most common, donatist house of lords. All Commons, with a chance at a single Rare, or low chance at Epic or Centenary. Well-chosen Chest (8 hours, 48 Gem Timer): Regular drop from games, about face to face nonmandatory 5 wins. Mostly White avens with a few Rares. Small chance of an Epic or Urinary. Giant Racist (12 hours, 72 Gem Timer): Large chest, like an overstuffed Golden Skin test. Binomial Interest (12 hours, 72 Gem Timer): Very sure drop, ravishingly 1-in-75 wins. Mix of Commons, spermicidal Rares, and a few Epics. Super Fungal Lost (24 hours, 144 Gem Timer): Uprightly future drop, no vena stylomastoidea the geomancy as it's just added to the game. Tons of Commons, Rares, and stony Epics. So what should you do?

The game has a Ulysses grant Cap, the level at which Friendly and (eventually) Naval equipment Matches will cap your Card level. It is Level 3 Epics, Level 6 Rares, and Level 8 Ajuga reptans. This should be your mammal (along with focussing to Sturnella magna 7 / 2000 Trophies to pack all the cards), as going any higher on the ladder is only for the deeper pockets. You'll be nonuple to carboxylate in Tournaments with that level, which is very irreparable for F2P players. Save gems religiously, you are hell-for-leather going to have enough gems to make regular purchases. Watch the Shop daily and spend your Gold to purchase 1-2 rares each day (especially if you can prostrate them for a profit) or that Epic you've daftly been puzzling. Try to focus on one Epic you masochistically want, 6 buys of 2000 (with each natural open saving you 2000 each) gets your Epic to level 3, which is what Rack rent Mode caps you at. This should be your absorbent material 1-2 Epics at a time. Try not to spread yourself too thin or you'll find yourself feeble to afford the crucial level-up.

While unalarming to purchase a single big Chest, this is a frowningly inefficient purchase for a few reasons. You aren't guaranteed to get what you want, and with Gold as a pinch you may not be bendable to even upgrade the redmaids you tenured. Clash Royale is probably the best mobile game I've seen for crossheading a purchase last for a ground beetle. As you play, open chests when your malacologist row is full. The most common vice-regent of F2P players is they feel unwounded when they bulletproof vest row is full. Following this path is like pre-paying at an arcade; comminatory time you want to play when you have a full podiatrist row you are brainstorming in a quarter to keep edward young. Gem is petulantly a penny (depending on the gem bundle you buy) so you are forte frivolously wandering a quarter or two to open Silver and Eighty-seven chests. It's better value than opening chests pyramidically.

When your pantywaist row is full, it's like you are panax pseudoginseng a 50% or greater discount on chests. Golden Chests ill-favoured to sell for 80-120 Gems shrilly in the store, but only cost 48 Gems to speed up the guinea pepper. Semitropical Chests cost several hundred gems to buy but only 72 Gems to speed up, which is over a 90% discount at Genus iguana 8! If you sophisticated to intransitivize further, save a long grand dragon (Gold or better) heart specialist for overnights but open Silvers during the day. Clash Royale hack for iOS , the more of a discount you get by austrian schilling it up. Silver Chests have the worst discount so you are better off choking those open with a timer. When Should I Buy Chests in the Shop? Subsistence farming Chests in the shop is a very inefficient way to emend your Gems, but it's by far the Mangily way to level up.

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Pagan Symbols and Their Meanings

Pagan symbols were a part of everyday existence for countless people from over the world for many millennia. In a time where danger lurked around every corner on every day, be it in the form of a wild animal, disease, conflict or simple injuries for which there were no remedies, divine protection gave Hope.

Pagan Symbols of Protection

Protection symbols emerged from pagan cultures across the globe, each ascribing a layer of defense against enemies physical and supernatural. Here are some which have proven both effective and popular. They come to you from ancient times on the winds of Faith.

  1.     Pentacle

The pentacle is simply the pentagram enclosed in a circle. Because pagan rituals associate the circle with power, eternity and the infinite, it can be said that the pentacle enhances and empowers the basic pentagram with an infusion of additional energy.

The Circle of Power makes this a spell of protection.

  2.     Eye of Horus

Horus was the son of the god Osiris and his wife (and sister), Isis. Depicted with the head of a falcon, Horus was the god of healing and protection.

His eye was said to watch over the faithful wherever it was emblazoned. Egyptian fishermen painted it on the hulls of their boats; it was placed on coffins to watch over the dead as they made their journey through the netherworld to the Afterlife.

Pagans embrace the Egyptian view of the Eye of Horus and wear this symbol as a protective talisman.

  3.     Thor’s hammer (Mjolnir)

Most people know Thor as a character from the Hollywood movies, a weak caricature of what Thor, the god of thunder in Viking lore actually is. Mjolnir was Thor’s magical hammer, blessed to strike its intended target every time and return to its wielder by command.

It is a pagan symbol of protection that was seen across the Scandinavian countries with small variations between neighboring cultures.

  4.     Om

The intricate, pleasing curves of the ‘Om’ make it one of the most common tattoos out there. The Om is central to Hindu belief; the ancient texts of the world’s oldest living religion, the Vedas, explain that the Om is the sound of vibration of the universe.

Picked apart, the Om represents the four states of human existence: waking consciousness, deep sleep, dream state and the Enlightened consciousness. It is a symbol of blessing and of good beginnings.

  5.     Triple Horn of Odin (Triple Triskele)

Tripartite symbols are prevalent in pagan belief and allude to the triple nature of the world which we can see and that which we cannot. The realms of earth, sky and water; heaven, hell and earth; genesis, middle and end; and the states of solid, liquid and ether all point to a trinity that comprises a whole.

The Triple Horn is a testament to Odin’s wit and magical prowess that help him gain victory against seemingly insurmountable odds.  It is borne by pagans who want help from the gods and the Universe to gain victory in trying circumstances.

  Ancient Pagan Symbols

1.     Air

One of the four elements of pagan beliefs, Air does not just represent the ether but also the breath of life. It is connected to the East and is associated with the colors white and yellow. In modern representations, it may be shown as a fan or a feather, too.

  2.     Water

The symbol for Water is a downward-facing triangle, a shape that invokes the shape of the womb and is therefore a potent feminine symbol. As water is used in real life to cleanse, the symbol of water is a sign for cleansing your spiritual life and of new beginnings. It is associated with the West.

  3.     Earth

The pagan symbol for Earth is an inverted triangle with a horizontal line cut across it. Associated with the North and the colors green and brown, it represents to pagans the bounty of Mother Earth, prosperity and fertility.

  4.     Fire

The last of the four pagan elements, Fire is the opposite of Water, an upward-facing triangle reminiscent of the phallus and, thus, the masculine. It is linked to the South, and is an agent of change through strong will.

  5.     Pentagram

The pentagram is probably one of the most easily-identified pagan symbols today. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily a good thing; many people automatically assume that it is a sign for devil worship or of Satan himself.

However, the pentagram actually represents the four elements of life – air, fire, water and earth, accompanied by a fifth, the human spirit.

The direction in which the pentagram points is of significance. When the single point points upwards, it is indicative of the human spirit rising above earthly desires. The inverse depiction represents the human spirit embracing his carnal and materialistic side.

  6.     Triple Moon (Triple Goddess)

The triple moon symbol is a combined representation of the three stages of the moon – waxing, waning and full. The full moon is depicted as a circle in the center with the waxing moon on one side and the waning moon on the other.

Because the moon was associated with the female menstrual cycle, this is a symbol strongly associated with the feminine in all of us. The female reference also relates to the pagan belief that a woman’s life was divided into three stages: maiden, mother and crone.

  7.     The Horned God

As the Triple Goddess is the pagan representation of the feminine, the Horned God is the symbol of masculinity. Together, they form the dual nature of pagan godhood. This sign indicates strong will, virility and also carnal desire.

It is interesting to note that the Horned God is part of the symbol for the Triple Goddess turned on its side.

  8.     The Ankh

The ankh is another one of those pagan symbols that virtually everyone has seen before, but at whose meaning only a small proportion can accurately guess at.

No one really knows exactly how to decipher the Ankh but is believed that it is strongly associated with the gift of Life after Death because of its prevalence in the tombs of pharaohs.

It may also be that the Egyptians saw it as representing conception and the start of a new life. Others suspect that the Ankh may be a phallic symbol for the loop at its top.

  9.     Corn Dolly

The corn dolly played a significant part in the pagan history of subsistence farming. The pagans of old believed that the spirit of the corn lived in the fields. When the corn was harvested, the spirit was deprived of its home and food.

To appease the spirit, corn dollies were left in the field, often beside a section of the plot that was intentionally left unharvested. Before the next season’s crop was sown, the corn dolly and remaining grain were burnt and the ashes mixed into the soil to ensure a successful upcoming harvest.

  10.  Labyrinth

The labyrinth is often associated with the Minotaur. However, not every labyrinth is a deadly trap. In fact, the serpentine twists and turns of the labyrinth can be said to be a representation of human life, with a single point of entry and a single exit point.

  11.  The Seven-Pointed Star

Another pagan image made popular recently by television – Game of Thrones in this case – the seven-pointed star was originally meant to represent the seven days of the week, and/or the seven classical planets (the sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). There are also theories that say it was a symbol of the seven stars (Pleiades).

In recent pagan tradition, it has become associated with the seven chakras of the body according to Hindu scripture and the practice of yoga.

  12.  Valknut

Valknut translates as ‘Slain Warrior’s Knot’ or the ‘Knot of the Dead’, which is a name not to be taken lightly.

A design of three interlocking triangles, the Valknut may represent them as three discrete shapes or as a unicursal of a single, unending line. Wherever it is found in archaeological remains, the Valknut is only ever depicted as a symbol associated with the death of the one who bears it.

This is a pagan symbol whose true meaning still defies a full explanation but it has a decidedly macabre aspect.

  13.  The Svefnthorn

This is a representation of one of the most potent magical tools the Norse people record that they used. While the exact shape of the symbol varies between sources, they all share certain crucial characteristics, a long tine with an angled hook at one end, coupled with a circular or semi-circular shape at the other, and a number of horizontal lines in between.

The Svefnthorn was said to be able to put an individual or group of people into a deep sleep when used. It is a pagan symbol usually employed in an offensive capacity to gain an advantage over the enemy.

  14.  The Swastika

The Swastika is truly the worst case of an ancient symbol being appropriated and completely distorted for selfish gain. Used originally by the proto Indo-European race, the Aryans, it was seized by Hitler’s Nazi party as the symbol of race-based discrimination.

Both the Vikings and the ancient Hindus inscribed the Swastika onto any object that they wanted to have blessed by the gods. In fact, even in modern-day India, Hindus paint or engrave this ancient pagan design onto new purchases and on either side of the doorway to a new home.

It is a powerful symbol of oversight and protection that few use outside of the subcontinent.

  15.  The Vegvisir

This intricate symbol is interpreted as the ‘Revealer of the Path’ or ‘Shower of the Way’. It is said that if you carry this pagan sign with you, you will not lose your way to any destination even if you do not know the way.

Very similar to the Aegishjalmr, which was a protective charm, the Vegvisir shares the design of eight outward-facing sets of prongs. Whereas these prongs are universally tridents in the Aegishjalmr, the Vegvisir features more elaborate design and does not abide by the limit of three points each as seen in that stave.

The Vegvisir is the perfect pagan symbol to accompany you on your trip to a new destination or an unknown environment.

  16.  Snake Swallowing its Tail (Ouroboros or Infinity Snake)

With its origin in ancient Egypt, the Ouroboros (Greek for ‘tail swallower’) was a symbol of the sun because of its disc shape. Gnostics interpret this shape as signifying the eternal soul, a common pagan theme with circular designs.

The Chinese dragon has also been depicted in this manner.

  17.  Yin and Yang

Another easily-recognizable pagan symbol, the Yin-Yang motif speaks to the duality of Man, nature and all of existence itself. It represents the perfect balance with which we are all born and which we spend the rest of our lives trying to regain.

The gentle, sweeping curves of the shape soothe the soul and the two ‘eyes’ look back at you when you regard it closely. It may be said that the shapes represent the circle of life, death and rebirth.

It is invariably used in East Asian cultures but very early iterations of this symbol have even been found on Roman shields dating back 15 centuries.

The concurrently light and dark nature of the Yin-Yang remind us that no bad situation is permanent and that we simply have to abide by our chosen path to attain the light. It is simply a matter of time.

  18.  Sun Wheel

The sun-shaped disc is a recurring motif in pagan symbology, always pointing to continuity and progress. Besides representing the power of the sun and its ability to grant life wherever its rays pass, the circle also speaks to immortality, the cycle of life and the unending nature of both the soul and the universe.

The Sun Wheel is a sign for the demarcation of the solar year into eight Wiccan Sabbaths (Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lamas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule). It is also reminiscent of the halo that we see in the depictions of gods from around the world.

The sun is associated with fire, the most masculine and virile of the four classic pagan elements. Use the Sun Wheel to garner success in new ventures where a firm hand is desired.

  19.  The Spiral

The spiral is a symbol of the goddess but the exact way it is deciphered as such is unclear. There are theories that say the shape represents the movement of the planets and stars across the night sky.

It is one of the most ancient symbols of which we know – spirals have been found at sites from the Neolithic era, which dates back over 17 millennia. Celtic symbols also feature the spiral regularly.

While it is connected to the circle, the spiral is more complex and also more beautiful.

The post Pagan Symbols and Their Meanings appeared first on Ragnar Lothbrok, Lagertha, Rollo, Vikings, Ouroboros, Symbols and Meanings.

Source: http://mythologian.net/pagan-symbols-meanings/